MADISON – Jax State softball fell to the 23rd-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, 7-4, on a frigid night at Toyota Field, the home of minor league baseball's Rocket City Trash Pandas.
The Gamecocks (7-3) struck first on junior
Morgan Nowakowski's two-out, two-RBI single in the top of the second, Crimson Tide starter Catelyn Riley hit freshman
Aria Davis between traditional walks to
Jaci Underwood and
Emma Elrod to load the bases in front of Nowakowski. The local product from Buckhorn High School finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and a walk.
Alabama gained the lead on a three-run home run from Alexis Pupillo in the home half of the third. Gamecock starter
Jaliyah Holmes gave way to
Jordan Eslinger following 2.2 innings of work. In relief, Eslinger was tagged for a pair of runs over an inning-plus. Senior
Kat Carter entered and completed the final two frames from the circle allowing an earned run on three hits in her first relief appearance of the season.
After UA climbed out to a 7-2 advantage, Jax State cut into the deficit with another couple of runs in the top of the sixth.
Emma Elrod doubled home Davis, followed by Nowakowski second's RBI hit of the night to score Elrod.
Freshman
Kailey Martin drew a walk to begin the seventh inning, but the Gamecocks were unable to bring the tying run to the plate.
The Gamecocks continue the Rocket City Showcase on Friday, taking on ETSU at 4:00 p.m. down the road in Huntsville, Ala., at University of Alabama-Huntsville's Charger Park, before returning to Toyota Field to meet Mississippi State later that night.
