KENNESAW, Ga. — The Jax State softball team picked up its 30
th win of the season to kick off the latter half of conference play, defeating the Kennesaw State Owls 6-2 at Bailey Park on Friday afternoon.
The Gamecocks (30-12, 14-2 CUSA) reached the 30-win total in six less games than they did last season and it is the fourth time in the last six seasons that Jax State has achieved the mark. Additionally, this is the second season in a row that head coach
Julie Boland has tallied 30 wins in a season.
Jax State controlled the scoreboard from start to finish over Kennesaw State, plating three runs in the first and never surrendering the lead for the remainder of the game. The Gamecocks tallied seven hits, compared to six from the Owls.
In the opening frame, four of Jax State's first five batters reached base, via a hit by pitch, two walks and a fielder's choice grounder. With the bases loaded with two outs, a fielding error by the Owls resulted in the first score of the game for the Gamecocks, that was soon followed by a two-RBI single by
Ashley Phillips to give her team the early advantage.
Defensively, Jax State held Kennesaw State scoreless until the third inning after a sacrifice fly, but it would be the only score the Owls could manage until the seventh inning.
Looking to respond, the Gamecocks did just that in the top of the fourth as
Mikayla Deville scored one off an RBI single, followed by a two-RBI double by
Morgan Nowakowski to make it a 6-1 game.
Freshman pitcher
Makenna Moore continued to limit Kennesaw State on the scoreboard throughout the next three innings before the Owls were able to pick up one more in the bottom of the seventh.
Moore pitched all seven innings, picking up her 12
th win of the season in the process. The freshman arm allowed two runs off six hits and walk, along with tallying seven strikeouts against 30 total batters faced.
Phillips led Jax State at the plate, batting 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Nowakowski added in a pair of RBIs and another double to her season tally as well. Throughout the entirety of the game, no Gamecock batters struck out.
Jax State will be back in action for game two of the series against Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT.
