CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Jacksonville University softball team went a perfect 5-0, extinguishing all competition in the Holy City Showdown. The latest victims were Dartmouth and South Carolina State.
Ashley Simon cranked a walk-off home run to lift the Dolphins past the Big Green, 4-2, before Taylor Rossman skunked S.C. State by a score of 3-0.
"We gave ourselves a chance every game this weekend because of our clean defensive play," said Head Coach Jennifer Steele. "We were smooth, comfortable, and confident. VB and Taylor looked like they were in post-season mode, attacking hitters and getting both strikeouts and weak contact. We have to continue to work on defense because we are hitting a hard stretch of games where we will be challenged, but it nice to play good softball right now."
Game I
Down by one with the game on the line, the Dolphins' leadoff hitter struck out swinging and their second batter lined out to the third baseman. In true JU fashion, the Fins continued to play their game and patience at the plate allowed Victoria Brown to draw a walk.
Jordan Daniels was placed on second base to start the inning and Simon walked up to the plate with two on and two outs. The senior from Enterprise, Ala. delivered a three-RBI homer to left field for the 4-2 walk-off victory.
The Dolphins have scored a total of three runs in the first innings of their last two ballgames. Continuing in the practice, Danielle Baker crossed home plate, taking advantage of a Dartmouth error. The Big Green responded late in the game to tie things up at 1-1 but only after five frames of quiet softball.
Credit JU's Brown and Dartmouth's Rumley with the amazing outing that turned into a pitching duel. Between the second and seventh innings each pitcher allowed one hit and Brown hadn't allowed a batter to reach base until the game tying home run in the sixth. In what became 8.0 innings of work, Brown allowed Dartmouth three hits with two runs, one earned.
The Big Green recorded the go-ahead score, 2-1, in the eighth on a sacrifice fly to left field.
Game II
Later in the day, Jacksonville faced S.C. State in their final ballgame of the tournament. After five scoreless innings, the Dolphins broke open the game in the sixth. Lexie Ballard singled up the middle to score Simon and then Daniels knocked a triple, her first collegiate hit, to score Ballard.
In the next frame, Baker flied out to right field, advancing the runner on third to seal the Dolphins' 3-0 victory.
Jacksonville's stellar pitching continued in the evening as Rossman earned her fifth win of the season, shutting down the Lady Bulldogs in 7.0 innings with four hits and no runs.
"We still have goals to reach before we start conference play and we intend to get after it in practice these next two weeks before we open up with USC-Upstate. It's a long season and we have our eyes on May."
Jacksonville continues its road travels on Wednesday, March 11 at the UCF Knights Invitational. The Dolphins will see action in one day of tournament play versus Northern Illinois and Central Florida.
