JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — After being on the road for the last nine straight games, the Jax State softball team will return back home to Jana McGinnis Field for the first time since April 4 to host the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (19-26, 5-16 CUSA), beginning on Friday night at 6 p.m.
The Gamecocks (37-12, 19-2 CUSA) are coming to this weekend on an eight-game win streak and the top team in Conference USA by a four-game margin with only six more conference games remaining on the schedule. Head coach
Julie Boland's squad has now tied its win total from last season and is seeking its first 40-win season since 2017.
Jax State is coming off its most recent back-to-back victories over Alabama State and Chattanooga on Tuesday and Wednesday to wrap up the non-conference schedule. Across those two games, the Gamecocks combined for 16 hits and 13 runs against the opponents.
A large part of the recent run production at the plate has come from senior catcher
Makalyn Kyser. The Springville, Ala. native has batted 8-for-10 (.800) in her last four games, with 16 RBIs, including four home runs as well. Last Saturday, Kyser tallied eight RBIs against Missouri State which is the second-most in a single game in team history.
Jax State's top three batters in the order, including
Emma Elrod,
Morgan Nowakowski and
Amber Reed have been very consistent at the dish as well. The trio have combined to bat 31-for-78 (.397) in the last eight games and are all batting over .350 for the season. Currently, Reed leads the team with a .359 average and has reached base in her last 26 straight games, which includes an 11-game hitting streak. Additionally, Nowakowski hit her 20
th double of the year against Chattanooga on Wednesday, making her just the fourth player in Division I to achieve the mark so far this season.
In conference play, the Gamecocks' pitching staff has been one of the most feared rotations in the league that features two of the league's top-three in ERA, in
Jaliyah Holmes (2
nd, 1.52) and
Makenna Moore (3
rd, 1.69). The duo have been responsible for 16 of Jax State's 19 conference wins this year.
Middle Tennessee State enters this weekend after winning its most recent doubleheader against Memphis on Wednesday afternoon and have won four of its last six games. However, the Gamecocks will be looking to take advantage of the Blue Raiders' 5-12 record on the road this season.
Jana Want has been the leader for Middle Tennessee this season as the sophomore infielder is batting .315 on the year with a team-leading 41 hits and 25 RBIs. Alongside Want, sophomore outfielder Macie Harter comes into the weekend on a six-game reached-base streak, after recently having her 24-game reached-base streak snapped on April 12 against Delaware.
Following the three-game series, the Gamecocks will hit the road again for the final series of the regular season, traveling to Huntsville, Texas to take on the Sam Houston Bearkats.
