NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As the temperatures warmed up in middle Tennessee, so did the bats of Jacksonville University's softball team. The Dolphins defeated Lipscomb University 4-0 on four hits, including two home runs by starting pitcher Victoria Brown.

Neither team had a hit in the first three innings of the game, and the Dolphins only collected a walk in the top of the fourth. Brown's no-hitter was broken up in the bottom of the inning on a single to left field, but the senior from Plano, Texas, struck out the next batter and then forced the Bisons into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat. After four innings the score was Jacksonville 0, Lipscomb 0.

The Dolphins broke up the Lipscomb no-hitter in the top of the fifth when Sable Lee singled on a well-placed bunt to the pitcher. Three batters later Brown came up to the plate with two outs and blew the game open with a two RBI bomb to left field. Brown came back on the mound in the bottom of the fifth and sat down all three Bisons, putting the score at Jacksonville 2, Lipscomb 0 after five.

The Dolphins struck again in the top of the sixth when Emily Sanchez singled up the middle. Katarina Waldrop came in to pinch run, and Brooke Smith pinch hit for Kristen Griffith. Smith hit a sac bunt to the pitcher that advanced Waldrop to second, and then Waldrop advanced all the way home when the Lipscomb throw to second ended up in center field. The Bisons responded by loading up the bases with two outs, but Allie McCourt caught a deep ball on the center field fence to end the threat. After six the score was Jacksonville 3, Lipscomb 0.

JU scored for the final time in the top of the seventh. Brown stepped up to the plate with one out, and on the fourth pitch slammed the ball into the scoreboard in center field. The Bisons got a double in the bottom of the second to threaten briefly, but Brown forced a groundout to Ciara Jones and an unassisted groundout to Sanchez to end the game. The final score: Jacksonville 4, Lipscomb 0.

Down the Road

The Dolphins continue their 10-game road trip with a doubleheader at Georgia Southern next Wednesday. On April 6 the Dolphins will play a one-game series at Florida State, and then step back into conference play April 9 in a three-game series at USC Upstate. Jacksonville's next home game is April 13 against Florida A&M.

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.