OXFORD, Miss. — Jax State softball wrapped up the second and final day of the Ole Miss classic by adding one more win and one more loss to the season total on Saturday afternoon.
The Gamecocks (14-7) had a much better showing on day two of competition, coming out of the gate hot with a 8-2 victory over ULM before dropping a 4-1 contest to Ole Miss after being run ruled by the Rebels on Friday night.
After scoring just one run across two games on Friday afternoon, Jax State opened with a high level of intensity at the plate in game one against ULM.
The Gamecocks set the tone early with three doubles in the bottom of the first inning by
Morgan Nowakowski,
Kailey Martin and
Aria Davis, to plate the first two runs of the game, followed by an RBI single by
Jaci Underwood to bring home Davis and give Jax State a 3-0 lead.
The Warhawks responded quickly in the second inning with a leadoff solo home run, but ULM was not able to score another until the sixth frame.
Martin began the home run onslaught for the Gamecocks in the fourth with a solo blast down the left field line for her second consecutive hit of the afternoon. Later on in the fifth, Nowakowski jumped in on the action with a solo homer to right field, and
Jaci Underwood capped everything off with a three-run shot to left to make it an 8-1 game.
ULM plated one in the sixth off a solo homer, but it would be the last score of the game as Jax State would take the victory.
Overall, the matchup saw five home runs between both teams.
Martin had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 at the dish with a pair of RBIs, including her solo home run.
Makalyn Kyser, Nowakowski and Underwood had productive days as well, each picking up two hits.
Underwood's effort at the dish was responsible for a career-high tying four RBIs in the victory. Additionally,
Jaliyah Holmes pitched her third complete game of the season, allowing just two runs and dealing four strikeouts to bring her season record to 5-3.
Game two became a pitcher's duel immediately, as freshman
Makenna Moore controlled the circle for the Gamecocks against the SEC foe. Moore held Ole Miss hitless through the first two frames until the Rebels scored the first run of the night in the bottom of the fourth, via a solo home run.
Jax State managed a response in the next inning after picking up its first two hits of the ball game in a row, eventually leading to
Aria Davis scoring on a passed ball for the Gamecocks' first and only score of the game.
The Rebels extended the lead and put it out of reach in the bottom half of the frame, however, after a two-run homer that was later followed by a stolen base at the plate.
The Gamecocks now shift their focus to conference play, as Jax State will hit the road once more to travel to Liberty next weekend. The Gamecocks begin at three-game series with the Flames, starting on Friday, March 6 at 5 p.m.
