MOBILE, Ala. — The Jax State softball team suffered back-to-back losses to the UAB Blazers and the Western Michigan Broncos in its first two games of the Mardi Gras Classic on Friday afternoon.
The Gamecocks fell 6-3 to the Blazers to open up competition, and then lost 7-4 to the Broncos right after. Jax State currently holds a 3-4 overall record so far this season after suffering its third straight loss.
After a scoreless first two innings, it was the top of Jax State's batting order that did the first damage on the scoreboard against the Blazers in the third frame.
Emma Elrod picked up an RBI single, followed by an RBI double by
Morgan Nowakowski. Lastly,
Kailey Martin ripped a single up the middle to score another and gave the Gamecocks a quick 3-0 lead early on.
However, UAB responded quickly by posting a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame, then picked up one more in the fourth to tie it up at three runs apiece at the midpoint of game one.
The Blazers added three more in the sixth inning after a three-run double to left center to give UAB its first lead of the day.
The Gamecocks were able to scratch one across in the top half of the seventh after Elrod brought home one off a fielder's choice grounder for her second RBI of the day, but it would not be enough to overcome the deficit.
Elrod, Nowakowski and
Mikayla Deville each picked up two hits in the contest, along with Elrod tallying her third stolen base of the year.
Jax State was once again able to find the scoreboard first in the second game of the day, after a bases loaded hit by pitch scored the first run, followed by a sacrifice fly by Hayleigh Cushingberry to bring home another, giving the Gamecocks its only lead of the game.
However, Western Michigan put up a seven-run response in the third inning, including a two-run home run, three RBI doubles and an RBI single, to claim the lead that it would hold the rest of the contest.
The Gamecocks mustered a pair of runs in the sixth, but could not scratch across anymore in the seventh.
Aria Davis went 2-for-2 in the losing effort, with a pair of doubles, a walk and a hit by pitch. Nowakowski picked up two hits as well, including a double and a walk to bring her hit tally to four across both games on Friday.
Cushingberry was responsible for two of Jax State's RBIs in the game, as the sophomore outfielder went 1-for-2 on the day.
The Gamecocks look to move on to Saturday's slate, which includes a rematch against UAB at 10 a.m., followed by a matchup against the hosting South Alabama Jaguars at 3 p.m.
