Box Score UPDATED BRACKET
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Believe it or not, Jacksonville University's softball team has played two 11-inning games this season and has won both of them. In the first round of the Atlantic Sun Tournament Wednesday, Heather Roberts' solo home run in the top of the 11th stamped the Dolphins' 2-1 victory over No. 4 Stetson.
No. 6 Jacksonville (28-28, 8-10 ASUN) will go on to face No. 2 USC Upstate Thursday at 10 a.m.
"I really believe in this team, and think we can go all the way," said Head Coach Jennifer Steele. "It's great to get the first one but we're going to have to go through so many more teams.
"I'm just so proud that the girls played hard the entire time. They had a lot of fun and they never quit."
After a pair of three up, three down innings on defense, JU broke a scoreless stalemate in the top of the third. With Ciara Jones standing at third base and two outs on the board, Emily Sanchez singled to left field for the early 1-0 advantage.
An illegal pitch allowed Stetson to tie the game in the home half of the inning when Kelsey Waters recorded a leadoff single, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt and third on an illegal pitch. She scored on a bunt-single.
The score remained knotted for the next seven innings. Both sides had their chances, combining for 19 runners left on base but it was Roberts who broke the stalemate.
She tattooed a shot off the scoreboard in left center field.
"It was a great win; I'm super excited and glad we could get this as a team," said Roberts. "In the beginning of the game, I was struggling to see the ball. Coach told me to see the ball big and I did that my last at-bat."
"Right before we went up to bat that half-inning, we talked to the girls about being great teammates," said Steele. "If one girl goes up and doesn't get the result, the next girl needs to. Emily [Sanchez] steps up and grounds out to the shortstop and Heather follows her with a monster home run. It was crucial."
Paige Curtis (6-3) received the win with 6.2 innings of action. She allowed five hits and no runs.
Fin Facts
- Wednesday's victory marked Coach Steele's first in the postseason
- Catcher Brooke Smith caught 2-of-3 runners stealing second base
- Jacksonville's last 11-inning game was a 1-0 success over Kennesaw State.
