JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — The Jax State softball team opens up its Conference USA slate this weekend with a three-game stretch against the defending conference champion Liberty Flames at Kamphuis Field, beginning on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m.
The matchup between both squads is a rematch of last season's Conference USA Championship game in which the Flames bested the Gamecocks 8-0 for their second consecutive league title.
Jax State (14-7) is coming off its most recent outing at the Ole Miss Classic last weekend, in which the Gamecocks split four games throughout the weekend, picking up two victories over ULM (1-0, 8-2) and dropping the remaining pair of contests to the hosting Rebels (8-0, 4-1).
The highlight of the four-game stretch for Jax State was Saturday's performance against the Warhawks, where the Gamecocks belted three home runs in a game for the second time this season.
Kailey Martin started off the scoring onslaught with a solo blast in the third, followed by a solo shot by
Morgan Nowakowski and a three-run home run by
Jaci Underwood in the fifth inning to secure the win.
MacKinley Portillo was a bright spot in the circle for the Gamecocks throughout the weekend, pitching a total of 8.2 innings, including a complete game shutout over ULM in the first game of the tournament. Through two appearances, Portillo allowed four hits, five strikeouts and no runs against the Warhawks and the Rebels.
Entering conference play, the Gamecocks lead Conference USA in runs scored (147), doubles (45), RBIs (129) and walks (108) and are ranked No. 5 in the country in doubles, No. 6 in walks and No. 26 in runs scored.
Nowakowski has been Jax State's leader at the plate through 21 games this season, batting .413 at the plate with a team-high 26 hits, including nine doubles and two home runs. Additionally, the senior center fielder has been walked 17 times this season which is the most of any player in the conference.
Liberty enters the conference opening slate with a 6-12 record after a difficult non-conference slate, featuring matchups against No. 1 Tennessee, No. 7 Alabama, No. 10 Florida State and No. 17 Oregon.
The Flames are led at the plate by Alexia Carrasquillo who leads the team with a .333 batting average. The sophomore catcher has tallied 17 hits this season, including two doubles and a pair of home runs, along with 12 RBIs.
Liberty leads the all-time series over Jax State 8-2 and has won its last three home games over the Gamecocks in 2024. Jax State's most recent win over the Flames came in the semifinal round of the CUSA Tournament semifinals last season when the Gamecocks won 7-2 to advance to the championship game.
Following the weekend road trip, Jax State returns home for the first time in eight games, taking on the Samford Bulldogs at Jana McGinnis Field for Kids Day on Wednesday, March 11 at 12 p.m.
