JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State split a doubleheader matchup with visiting Queens University on Saturday after missed opportunities led to a game two loss.
 
The Gamecocks (25-13, 11-3 ASUN) held on for a 1-0 win in the day's opening competition, before stranding 13 runners on base in a 5-2 setback in the afternoon contest. The Royals (18-16, 8-6 ASUN) rode freshman star pitcher Autumn Courtney for 10 of Saturday's 14 innings, where she effectively limited JSU's potent lineup.
 
The table was set early and often as Jax State's Emma Jones and Lauren Hunt made it aboard 11 of a possible 14 times from the top two spots in the lineup. Jones made an early splash with a leadoff home run to start the home half of the first in the opening game. Hunt followed with a single of her own, but JSU managed just two hits the rest of the way.
 
Freshman Jaliyah Holmes, dueling with Queens' Courtney in the circle, made the early 1-0 lead holdup the rest of the way turning in her third shutout of the season. The Sharpsburg, Ga., native, struck out six and allowed just four hits in an efficient 92-pitch outing that featured 64 strikes.
 
Despite a solid outing of her own, Queens' Courtney took the loss after Jones made her pay for her only mistake of the day.
 
Aside from her solo homer that paved the way for game one's 1-0 victory, Jones also etched her name in the JSU record books at the Division I leader in single-season steals. Her first of the day, and 25th of the year, surpassed Anna Chisolm's 2017 mark. Jones went on to finish with four steals between both games to run her new record to 28. Hunt, who went 5-for-7 at the plate Saturday, swiped a trio of bases herself as part of JSU's dangerous tandem at the top of the order.
 
For JSU's efforts turning a low offensive performance into a win earlier in the day, the same could not be done two games in a row as missed chances began to pile up for the Gamecocks. A first-inning run for Queens in game two with Sarah Currie in the circle was quickly erased in the bottom of the frame when Hunt singled home Jones. The pair opened the third inning in similar fashion each with hits and a stolen base to quickly set up Lindsey Richardson with runners at second and third. Richardson grounded to second bringing home Jones for the go-ahead run.
  
The Royals responded with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth to reclaim a 3-2 lead. After JSU failed to convert with bases loaded for the first time in the bottom of the inning, Queens added two more in the fifth on a passed ball that opened the door for two Royals to race home on a throwing error.
 
JSU stranded the bases loaded the previous inning in the fourth, but the backbreaking scenario followed in the fifth and sixth frame when JSU's lineup loaded the bases without any outs and came up empty on both occasions. Despite letting Courtney off the hook the previous three innings, Jax State again managed to bring the tying run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when a foul-out down the left field line summed up the game's reoccurring theme in a 5-2 loss.
 
The two teams will break the series deadlock at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at University Field. Prior to the game, JSU will honor head coach Jana McGinnis for her 1,000+ wins at the helm of the Red and White with a special pregame ceremony starting at 12:30 on the field.