ATHENS, Ga. – A remarkable start to the Bulldog Classic saw Jax State softball pick up a pair of one-run wins over Miami (OH) and Furman.
The Gamecocks (9-13) stunned the RedHawks (13-4) of Miami (OH) in Friday's opener rallying from three runs down in the seventh inning to walk it off on
Hannah Buffington's RBI single to right field. Buffington's RBI was the only scoring hit for Jax State that did not clear the fence as the Gamecocks belted five home runs.
Senior
Lindsey Richardson had a historic role in the thrilling comeback tying the Jax State school record with three homers in a single game. She joined Melinda McDonald and Taylor Beshears as the only other Gamecocks with three homers in a single game. McDonald blasted a trio of long balls in a 21-0 win over St. Bonaventure on March. 12, 2004. Beshears amazingly accomplished the feat twice just one month apart from each other during the 2019 season against Army and Northern Colorado.
After
Morgan Nowakowski lifted her first home run of the season out in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1, Richardson and
Ashley Phillips went back-to-back with solo shots in the third frame. Richardson then cleared the wall for the second time with another solo home run in the fifth to pull Jax State within a run at 5-4.
The three-time reigning Mid-American Conference champions tacked on insurance runs in the top of the sixth and seventh to lead 7-4 going into the Gamecocks' final at-bat in the home half of the seventh. The comeback took place without any outs as
Emma Jones-Hubbard and
Emma Elrod made their way on base with a double and walk to begin the inning. Then stepped in Richardson who launched her third deep ball of the game for a three-run blast to knot the score at 7-7.
Continuing the momentum, Phillips then doubled to force a RedHawk pitching change.
Kat Carter entered to run at second as Nowakowski drew a walk. Both runners advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch before
Amber Reed, who pitched the final four innings for Jax State, also walked to load the bases. With nowhere to put her, Buffington took a pitch to right field for the walkoff hit.
Buffington's momentum carried over the second contest of the day where Jax State held on to down Furman, 3-2. The Fort Payne, Ala., native, helped Jax State plate the first run with a fielder's choice groundout that scored Phillips from third. Later in the sixth inning, she flied out to left field for a sacrifice that scored
Ella Pate to give the Gamecocks a 2-0 advantage.
Caroline Lively then singled home Reed in what would prove to be a critical insurance run.
Junior
Sarah Currie tossed a gem for her second complete game effort of the season. She held the Paladins scoreless for six innings before Furman threatened with a pair of runs in the seventh before Currie shut the door with her sixth strikeout.
The Gamecocks and Furman rematch to Saturday morning, before Jax State takes on tournament host and No. 7-ranked Georgia on SEC Network+.
