JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — WKU Softball lost to Jacksonville State 4-2 on Friday at Jana McGinnis Field in Jacksonville, Alabama.
The Hilltoppers (19-4 overall, 3-1 CUSA) held the Gamecocks (18-8 overall, 3-1 CUSA) scoreless through 5.1 innings and were able to score two runs in the top of the seventh before Jax State took the win.
JSU 4, WKU 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
Erica Houge earned her 11th start of the season on Friday and fired 5.1 scoreless innings before giving way to Rylan Smith.
Jax State got its first baserunner of the sixth with a walk and scored its first run with a double. The Gamecocks then strung together three singles in a row to score three runs and push their lead to 4-0 before WKU was able to record the third out.
Lauren Satterly pinch hit for Katie Murphy and kicked off the visiting half of the seventh with a walk. Murphy returned to the base paths and Jax State issued another walk to Morgan Sharpe and put Murphy in scoring position at second base.
Kendle White continued to move the baserunners with a groundout to second to push Sharpe to second and Murphy to third.
With two runners in scoring position, Jenna Blanton earned the first RBI of the night for WKU with a single to shortstop to score Murphy.
Blanton then stole second, and Annie White grabbed the second RBI with a single to second base to advance Blanton to third and score Sharpe.
WKU’s comeback efforts came to an end with back-to-back outs.
NOTABLES
Erica Houge finished with two strikeouts.
Annie White extended her hitting streak to seven games while Morgan Sharpe extended her reached base streak to 15 games.
Morgan Sharpe went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with a double and a triple.
With the loss, WKU’s win streak ends at 14 games, the longest in program history.
UP NEXT
WKU faces Jax State in Game Two of the series on Saturday, March 14. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.