OXFORD – Jacksonville State took top-seeded Southeast Missouri to the wire in its Ohio Valley Conference Tournament elimination game on Friday night at Choccolocco Park, but the Redhawks pulled off a 4-3 win in eight innings to end the Gamecocks' season.
 
Senior Nicole Rodriguez struck out a career-high 13 batters in her final appearance in a JSU uniform, but OVC Pitcher of the Year Rachel Rook won what was a pitchers' duel for the first seven innings.
 
The Redhawks dented the scoreboard first and did so in the third inning, when Rachel Anderson's sac fly to center scored Austine Pauley from third and gave SEMO a 1-0 lead.
 
The Gamecocks tied the game in the home half of the fourth. Alexus Jimmerson led off the frame with a double to left center, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on the back end of a double steal with Sidney Wagnon.
 
The Redhawks broke the tie in the eighth, when they got an RBI single from Rachel Anderson and a two-run homer from Kaylee Anderson. The homer was her third against the Gamecocks in the tournament and gave SEMO a 4-1 lead.
 
The Gamecocks didn't go quietly in the bottom of the inning. Shelby Newsome drew a leadoff walk and set up a two-run line drive home run by Jada Terry that cut the JSU deficit to a run. Karsen Mosley singled and Sidney Wagnon walked to put the tying run in scoring position, but SEMO turned to the bullpen and Paytience Holman got out of the inning and saved the win.
 
Rachel Rook (20-8) earned the win after allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits in 7 and 2/3 innings of work. She struck out nine and walked five.
 
Rodriguez (8-9) suffered the loss after holding SEMO to four runs on seven hits and just two walks.
 
SEMO advances to the OVC Championship game on Saturday, when it will have to beat second-seeded Eastern Kentucky twice to earn the OVC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.