CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.  – Sophomore Jaliyah Holmes' second career perfect game highlighted the opening day of the Chattanooga Challenge for Jax State softball.
 
The Gamecocks (2-5) split a pair of games on the day, falling 6-5 in a near-comeback to Ball State, before Holmes retired 21-straight batters in a 3-0 win over Murray State.
 
Holmes' perfection included 10 strikeouts at Warner Park, a secondary venue for Chattanooga's home tournament. The Sharpsburg, Ga., native, sat the first four batters down on swinging strikes, and late had eight K's through 11 batters. The Gamecock defense did their part behind her making plays on 10 flyouts and just a single groundout.
 
While Holmes was cruising in the circle. Jax State took the lead on an RBI shot by Makalyn Kyser to send Hannah Buffington home from second after she recorded a 1-out double. In the fifth, Holmes helped her own cause as a pinch runner. Amber Reed and Lindsey Richardson reached on base hits and while Reed moved over on a groundout and scored on an MSU error, Holmes stole second, moved to third on the error and eventually crossed home on Buffington's groundout.
 
The 3-0 lead was all Jax State needed as Holmes made quick work of the final two frames to pick up her first win of the season (1-2) and second career perfect game. As a freshman she tossed her first perfect game at home retiring 21-straight Western Michigan batters on March 10, 2023.
 
In the first game of the day, Jax State fell behind Ball State 6-1, before rallying for four runs over the final three innings. Trailing by a pair entering the seventh, Jax State mounted a two-out rally that saw Emma Elrod score on a double by Buffington. Unfortunately, Buffington was stranded at third as the tying run when the final out was made.
 
The Gamecocks return to action Saturday for two more games. They'll have a chance to revenge the earlier loss to Ball State in the morning, before facing North Alabama in the afternoon.