JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The softball team of Jacksonville University experienced a bit of a hitting and defensive slump Sunday in the last day of the round robin tournament against Murray State and Ball State, losing both games.
The Dolphins scored just one run on 12 hits over both games, and allowed 20 runs on 23 hits.
Ball State 11, Jacksonville 0
The Cardinals got the jump on the Dolphins early by scoring two runs in the top of the first. Selena Reyna, the leadoff batter, singled, then stole second during the next at-bat. Madison Lee singled as well, and then reached second on a Dolphin error that also allowed Reyna to go to third. Rachel Houck grounded out to second, but Jacksonville didn't get the throw home fast enough to keep either Ball State runner from scoring. After the top of the first Ball State led 2-0.
Victoria Brown allowed only one hit in the second inning, but unforced errors again plagued the Dolphins in the third. Lee homered in her second at-bat, and then Emily Dabkowski safely reached second on another Dolphin error. India Steward singled on the next pitch and drove Dabkowski home. The Dolphins responded with two hits in the bottom of the third, but stranded both runners. After three Ball State led 4-0.
A third error proved costly for Jacksonville in the top of the fourth inning. Taylor Cooley scored on an error after a single by Elise Sandberg, and Brown was replaced at pitcher by Paige Curtis. Five more runs would score in the inning before Curtis forced consecutive groundouts to Danielle Baker to get the Jacksonville offense back on the field. The Cardinals led 11-0 after three and half innings.
Jacksonville had two more hits, but couldn't drive a runner across in either the fourth or fifth inning. Ball State won 11-0 after five innings.
Murray State 9, Jacksonville 1
Murray State managed to get the bases loaded with just one out in the first inning, but Taylor Rossman was able to limit the damage to just one run. Maddy Feeney was caught in a 6-5 fielder's choice that drove in Shelbey Miller, and Jocelynn Rodgers was forced out by Heather Roberts at third base on the next pitch. Murray State led 1-0.
Miller homered in the top of the second with Mallory Young on base, giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. Jacksonville had three hits in the botton of the second, but the Racers' defense held, forcing Brown and Kristen Griffith out at home plate on consecutive plays with the bases loaded.
Two JU errors helped Murray State put up five more runs in the top of the third. The first two batters singled to right field, and the third Racer reached first on a Dolphin error. The fourth Racer to bat in the inning hit a single, driving in two runs. Another error with the bases loaded put another run on the board, and the Racers ended their scoring run with another two RBI single by Miller. Allie McCourt got on base in the bottom of the third with a single, but the Dolphins again failed to capitalize. Murray State led 8-0 after three innings.
Curtis made her second relief appearance of the day in the fourth inning, taking over for Rossman. She allowed just one run on two hits, and stranded two Murray State runners. The Dolphins got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the fourth when Adrienne Ramsey scored on a single by McCourt, but Kamille Larrabee was thrown out at home on the same play, ending the Jacksonville threat. Murray State led 9-1 after four.
Curtis saw just three batters in the fifth inning, and forced two ground outs and a fly out. In the bottom of the fifth Jacksonville loaded up the bases twice, but had runners thrown out at home on consecutive plays. The game ended on a Dolphin strikeout with the bases loaded.
Down the Road
Up next for Jacksonville is a double-header against Monmouth on Wednesday, March 16. The first game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
Fans can follow all the action from the 2015-16 season on JUDolphins.com, through twitter @JUSoftball, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleUniversityAthletics.
