BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Jacksonville State led for just one inning during Saturday's twinbill action, but it was enough to earn a split between the day's two games after a 3-run rally in the seventh for a 4-3 victory over Western Kentucky to close the day.
 
It would have been easy to pack it in down two in the final inning against the tournament host after trailing all game, especially on the heels of a 10-0 loss earlier in the day. However, the Gamecocks (9-4) strung together four-straight hits to begin the top of the seventh to upend future Conference USA foe WKU (8-6).
 
Saturday's slate began with Illinois State, in a morning game where JSU never got going offensively. Sophomore Sarah Currie was saddled with her second loss of the season from the circle after a tough two innings to start. In relief, Hannah Brown and Jordan Eslinger didn't fair much better, both allowing multiple runs as the Redbirds prevailed 10-0 in five innings. Just one day prior, JSU beat ISU, 7-5.
 
Putting the first game behind them, the Gamecocks turned their attention to the host Hilltoppers, who struck early with an RBI double in the bottom of the first off starter Kat Carter to grab an early 1-0 advantage. While JSU continued to search for its first run of the day, Carter held WKU in check for just three runs over 5.2 innings. She struck out two and allowed just two extra base hits and zero walks.
 
Ready to deliver the spark Jax State required, senior Sidney Wagnon connected on just her second career home run in the fifth inning to finally break through on WKU starter Katie Gardner. The Moody, Ala., native's only other homer came back on May 3, 2021 at Tennessee State.
 
After a quiet sixth stranded Brantly Bonds aboard, JSU entered the seventh and final frame trailing 3-1. Morgan Nowakowski opened the action with a pinch-hit single up the middle to bring Wagnon to the plate as the tying run. Wagnon and Emma Jones would find base hits as well to load the bases without an out. Lauren Hunt continued the string of hits with a shot to center to score Nowakowski, and Wagnon raced home for the tying run one batter later on Lindsey Richardson's sac fly to right. Entering the lineup just one inning prior, senior Camryn McLemore came through with a grounder to short that allowed Jones to cross the plater as the go-ahead run.
 
Following the momentum from the top of the inning, freshman Jaliyah Holmes secured the 4-3 victory in the bottom of the seventh with a couple of pop-ups and a fly-out to left field.
 
With a 3-1 mark through two days at the Hilltopper Classic, JSU concludes play on Sunday with a 10 a.m. against Central Michigan.