AUBURN –
Megan Fortner had a big night at the plate, but a pair of big innings from Auburn doomed the Jacksonville State softball team in a 9-1 loss on Tuesday night at Jane B. Moore Field.
Fortner went 2-for-2 with a home run and a double but it would be the No. 18 Tigers (33-9) that would provide the other fireworks in defeating the Gamecocks (25-17) in six innings. Auburn scored three runs in the second to take the lead and then erupted for six in the fourth to put the game away.
Fortner gave the Gamecocks a brief lead in the second, when the Cedar Hill, Mo., native homered to right center and put a 1-0 advantage on JSU's side of the scoreboard. Her double came in the fourth inning and was JSU's only other hit off of Tiger starter Maddie Penta.
Auburn quickly answered Fortner's homer in the top of the second with a two-run blast from Aspyn Godwin in the bottom of the frame. The Tigers also got a sac fly from Lindsey Garcia before the inning ended and took a 3-1 lead into the third.
JSU threatened in the fourth, when Fortner's double came right after Camryn LcLemore was hit by a one-out pitch and put two runners in scoring position. JSU couldn't push anything across, and Auburn broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. The Tigers scored six runs on five hits in the frame, getting run-scoring doubles from Kelsey Schmidt and Bri Ellis in the rally.
Sarah Currie (10-6) suffered the loss for the Gamecocks after allowing nine runs on eight hits and three walks in 3 and 2/3 innings of work, while Penta (20-4) earned the win. She held JSU to a run on two hits in six innings in the circle.
The Gamecocks get back to ASUN Conference play this weekend, when they host in-state rival North Alabama in a three-game series at University Field. The weekend will start with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and will conclude on Sunday with a single game at 1 p.m. Admission is free for JSU Students and all fans ages 18 and under.
