HUNTSVILLE – Senior Kat Carter racked up a career-high 14 strikeouts as Jax State took down James Madison, 4-2, in a one-off contest taking place at Huntsville High School to begin the Rocket City Showcase's weekend slate.  
 
The unique setting saw a rematch of two programs that squared off in the 2009 Knoxville Regional that Jax State ultimately won to advance to the Super Regionals that season. The Dukes have likewise continued success with a recent berth in the Women's College World Series.
 
On Friday, Jax State (8-3) prevailed in the first matchup between the two schools since 2015.
 
With temperatures barely above freezing in northern Alabama, Carter started hot by striking out the side in the first inning. The Spring Hill, Tenn., product, allowed just three hits in her fourth complete game of the season, but the first was a two-run homer to JMU's Payton List in the top of the second to stake the Dukes to an early 2-0 lead.
 
A walk to freshman Haleigh Cushingberry to open the home half of the third inning sparked Jax State's comeback. Cushingberry stole second to get into position to score on Emma Elrod's single through the right side. Elrod, who advanced to second when JMU tried to throw out Cushingberry at the plate, later came around to tie the game on a single from Amber Reed.
 
Carter ran her strikeout total to a dozen after stranding JMU's go-ahead baserunner at third base with back-to-back K's to close out the top of the fifth frame. In the bottom of the inning, Cushingberry reached first on a dropped third strike and advanced from first to third on Elrod's sacrifice bunt. The Gamecocks grabbed their first lead of the day on Morgan Nowakowski's sac-fly that brought Cushingberry home.
 
Jax State tacked on an big insurance run in the sixth when freshman Jaci Underwood put the rocket in Rocket City Showcase with a missile over the left field fence for her second home run of the season.
 
Carter shut the door on any JMU comeback efforts with two more strikeouts in the seventh to secure her fourth-straight complete game through four starts in 2025. Her 14 total punchouts from the circle topped her previous high of 11 that came against Colgate as a freshman back in 2022.

Catcher Abbi Perkins, who's started 10 of Jax State's games this season in her return from injury, was also behind the plate for Carter's 11-strikeout performance versus Colgate. 
 
The Gamecocks and James Madison are scheduled to meet again on Saturday at University of Alabama-Huntsville's Charger Park at 3:00 p.m.