JACKSONVILLE – Earning its 10th conference win of the season, Jax State took a resounding win over second-place Western Kentucky, 9-1, in run-rule fashion Friday night to open a pivotal final home weekend.
 
The Gamecocks (21-25, 10-9 CUSA) moved one step closer to locking in a spot in their inaugural CUSA Championship as one of the top six teams, while also officially ending Western Kentucky's (28-17-1, 13-6 CUSA) chance at catching first-place Liberty in the league standings. The Gamecocks need two more wins or a win and a Sam Houston loss to officially punch their tournament ticket.
 
Kicking off senior weekend at Jana McGinnis Field, senior Emma Jones-Hubbard came through with her second walk-off hit of the season with a game-winning single to deep center that scored Kenzie Nicholson from third to force the eight-run rule in the home half of the sixth inning.
 
Nicholson's leadoff double to start the sixth pushed her on-base streak to a season-best seven games. Sophomore Linley Tubbs likewise picked up another hit to run her hitting streak to seven games as the Gamecocks begin heating up at the right time.
 
The Gamecocks caused trouble from one through nine in the batting order Friday. Jones-Hubbard went 2-for-4 overall and stole her 20th base of the season. The CUSA leader in stolen bases now sits one behind Christine Tucker for second-most stolen bases in Jax State program history with 54. Morgan Nowakowski quietly drew two walks and came around to score both times. Senior Lindsey Richardson also earned a walk with the bases loaded for her 116th career RBI to move into a tie for 10th on the Gamecocks' career RBI list.
 
Still, the power came from lower in the lineup and started with Makalyn Kyser's three-run homer in the second inning to put WKU in a bind early. After a three-spot in the second frame, Jax State hung four on the Tops in the third. Richardson's walk provided the first run, before the speedy Jones raced home on a rare sacrifice pop-out to second base by Ashley Phillips. Freshman Megan Rasmussen, who matched Kyser with three RBI on the night, then doubled over the wall to add two more for a 7-1 advantage.
 
With the offense rolling, junior Kat Carter cruised in the circle to her ninth win of the season. After back-to-back doubles in the third inning that allowed the only WKU run of the game to score, Carter retired the final 10 batters she faced.
 
Jax State and WKU will resume after for game No. 2 at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.