HATTIESBURG, Miss. – After allowing a first inning run in the first game of the doubleheader, Jax State pitchers closed out the day tossing 13.0 consecutive scoreless innings, leading to wins of 3-1 and 4-0 over Lamar and Southern Miss respectively on Friday.  
 
The Gamecocks (11-6) outscored its two foes 7-1 across the two games, including a 4-0 shutout of the host Golden Eagles (5-11) in game two.  
 
After allowing a first inning earned run to Lamar (8-7), Jax State junior Jordan Eslinger settled in and tossed 5.0 scoreless frames. Reigning CUSA Pitcher of the Week Kat Carter entered to pitch the seventh and earned her first save of the season.

Morgan Nowakowski and Amber Reed each reached base in the third inning to set up Kailey Martin, who gave Jax State its first lead of the morning courtesy of a two-run double. Jax State loaded the bases again before the inning ended, but did not do any more damage.

Emma Elrod launched her team-best sixth longball of the season to extend the Gamecock lead to 3-1. The two Jax State pitchers closed out the game with three scoreless innings, allowing just one baserunner.

With the victory, Eslinger now has two wins this season in just six appearances after acquiring only one in her 29 previous starts at Jax State. 

Jaliyah Holmes picked up right where the Gamecocks left off in game one, tossing her third complete game and first shutout of the season against Southern Miss.

After USM put runners on the corners with just one out in the first inning, Holmes settled in, escaping the jam and retiring eight of the next 10 batters she saw.

Jax State broke the 0-0 deadlock in the third inning with a Nowakowski two-run single and added a few insurance runs when freshman Jaci Underwood doubled home a pair in the fourth.

Holmes struck out four batters in her outing, giving her 25 strikeouts on the season, the second most on the team. With the shutout, her season ERA improves to 2.06, leaving all six Jax State pitchers with an ERA of 2.10 or better.

Despite not driving in a run, Reed led the Gamecocks at the plate on Friday, going 4-for-7 with four singles. Eight different Gamecocks had at least one hit on the morning.

Jax State continues the Black & Gold Challenge on Saturday with games against Lamar at 9 a.m. and Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 2 p.m.

Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast for both contests tomorrow. Sunday's game against USM will be broadcast on ESPN+.