JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — The Jax State softball teams hits the road once again, this time traveling to Tuscaloosa for a big midweek test against the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.

The Gamecocks (23-9, 8-1 CUSA) are coming off a series sweep over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs this past weekend, in which they outscored the Bulldogs 11-4 across the three-game stretch. Jax State managed to shut out the conference foe on Friday afternoon to kick the weekend off, and then concluded the series on Sunday with a two-run walk-off home run by Ashley Phillips to win the game in the eighth inning.

Jax State has won eight of its last nine games, and has won seven straight games in conference play so far this season to sit in first place in the league. In nonconference play, the Gamecocks are 15-8 this year, featuring shutout wins over Chattanooga, DePaul, Northwestern State, ULM and Samford.

A large part of Jax State's recent success has come from multiple strong performances out of the pitching rotation. Reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Week Makenna Moore has allowed just one run in her last five appearances, striking out a total of 25 batters across the span as well. Additionally, senior Jaliyah Holmes has picked up a win in each of her last three starts in the circle.

As a unit, Jax State's pitching staff leads Conference USA in shutouts with eight, and is in second place in the league in ERA (3.37) and batting average against (.236). Moore and Holmes are currently tied for second in the conference in wins with eight each as well.

At the plate, the Gamecocks have been just as productive, scoring at least four runs in seven of their last nine games, along with picking up at least six hits as a team in six of their last seven contests.

Senior Morgan Nowakowski has been Jax State's leader at the dish all season long and remains atop the team with a .374 average with 37 hits, including 13 doubles which ranks tied for sixth in the country. Nowakowski's most recent double came in the bottom of the seventh inning against Louisiana Tech this past weekend to send the game into extra innings that eventually resulted in a win by Jax State.

Alongside Nowakowski, Emma Elrod enters Wednesday's matchup against the Crimson Tide on an eight-game hit-streak and has been a valuable leadoff hitter for Jax State recently. Elrod has the second highest on base percentage of the team with .468 and has scored 27 times this season, which ranks fifth in Conference USA.

Alabama (29-2, 7-2 SEC) is coming off its most recent series over the Missouri Tigers this past weekend in which the Crimson Tide tallied a pair of wins over the Tigers to win its third consecutive series of conference play. Alabama's only other loss of the season came against No. 8 Arkansas on March 14.

The Crimson Tide boast one of the nation's top pitching rotations so far this season, ranking No. 3 in the country in ERA (1.44), hits allowed per seven innings (3.97) and WHIP (0.82). On the offensive side, Alabama has hit 54 home runs this season which ranks No. 10 in the country, led by senior Alexis Pupillo and sophomore Brooke Wells with 11 each.

Following the matchup in Tuscaloosa, Jax State will continue its road trip down south to Miami to take on FIU this weekend.