RICHMOND, Ky. – For the second-straight day the Gamecocks produced 10 runs offensively, and for the second-straight day it wasn't enough to outlast Eastern Kentucky as JSU fell 11-10 in Sunday's series finale.
Jax State (27-16, 13-5 ASUN) hung crooked numbers on the scoreboard in the second, third and fourth innings to build a 9-4 advantage, but EKU (25-20, 7-11 ASUN) used three key home runs to power back into the game.
Sunday's three homers ran EKU's series total to nine over the three games as the Colonel bats proved to be JSU pitching's kryptonite. All five Gamecock hurlers saw work over the course of the weekend and struggled to restrain a Colonel lineup that produced 27 runs over the final two games of the series.
Senior
Sidney Wagnon drew her second bases-loaded walk of the game in the top of the sixth inning to bring redshirt-freshman
Morgan Nowakowski home to even the game at 10-10. The speedy
Emma Jones was unable to beat out a grounder to short for the third out stranding the bases full of go-ahead runs.
Kat Carter, in relief of starter
Jaliyah Holmes who allowed season-high eight earned runs, shut EKU down in the home side of the sixth for the first time since the opening inning of the day.
In the top of the seventh, the Gamecocks saw opportunity vanish again when a dribbler back to the circle with bases loaded and no outs resulted in a crushing double-play to home and first. The Colobeks After walking 14 in Saturday's setback, JSU allowed just four free passes on Sunday, but the fourth and final led off the bottom of the seventh putting the eventual winning run aboard. A few batters later, EKU singled home the game winner on a bloop shot just over and out of reach from
Brantly Bonds and her second base position.
Bonds,
Abbi Perkins,
Linley Tubbs,
Emma Jones and Wagnon each had two RBI apiece to lead Jax State's offensive efforts.
Despite Sunday's loss and a rough weekend on the road, Jax State returns home tied for second-place in the ASUN standings with three games against conference frontrunner Central Arkansas on deck next weekend at
Jana McGinnis Field. Saturday's game times for the marquee matchups have been pushed back to 5 and 7 p.m. to allow fans and students to join the Gamecocks following the university's spring graduation ceremony that day.