JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — Jax State softball continues its four-game road trip down south to take on FIU for a three-game series at Felsberg Field with the action beginning on Friday night at 5 p.m.
The Gamecocks (23-10, 8-1 CUSA) are winners of eight of their last ten games, including six straight conference victories, but dropped their most recent contest to the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday afternoon on the road.
In conference play, Jax State's pitching prowess has played a large role in back-to-back series sweeps over Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech over the last two weekends. As a pitching staff, the Gamecocks lead the league in ERA (1.47) and runs allowed (15) through nine conference games, only allowing seven runs to conference opponents over the last six games.
Reigning CUSA Pitcher of the Week
Makenna Moore has allowed just five runs, along with striking out 25 batters in her last six appearances, and leads the conference in innings pitched (34.0), ranks second in ERA (0.82) and ranks third in opposing batting average (.192) in league play so far this season. Senior
Jaliyah Holmes has also been valuable in conference play for the Gamecocks, as she has tallied a complete game win against Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech, respectively.
Jax State has been just as successful at the dish as well, led by redshirt senior
Morgan Nowakowski who leads the team in batting average (.366) and doubles (13), while boasting a 1.026 OPS. Junior
Emma Elrod has been on a tear as well recently, bringing her hit streak to nine games after hitting a solo home run against Alabama, and has reached base 12 games in a row as the team's leadoff batter.
As a team, the Gamecocks have hit a home run and a double in each of their last four games. Currently, Jax State ranks first in the conference in total doubles this season with 64, and rank No. 9 in the country as well. The Gamecocks are also the most walked team in the conference, with 159 free passes this season, which leads the league by 32 walks.
FIU (23-9, 5-4 CUSA) has been off to a slow start in conference play after finishing its nonconference slate with an 18-3 record. The Panthers lost its most recent series to New Mexico State and dropped a midweek contest to Florida Atlantic on Wednesday night as well. At home, however, FIU boasts an 18-3 record at Felsberg Field, including a series sweep over UTEP two weeks ago.
The Panthers are led by Conference USA's leader in batting average, Kally Meredith. Meredith holds a .510 batting average this season which ranks No. 9 in the country. The junior outfielder leads the team in hits (53), runs scored (37) and total bases (65).
Following the weekend series, Jax State will return back home for the next four games, beginning with a matchup against the Alabama State Hornets on Tuesday evening at 5 p.m.
