JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University softball came up just short in a senior day doubleheader with ASUN-leading Kennesaw State. The Owls (36-15, 14-3) defeated the Dolphins (24-26, 5-9) by a score of 4-2 in game one, and 3-1 in game two.
Game One
Heather Roberts was two-for-three with a double and home run, but the Dolphins otherwise struggled to find success at the plate against the Owls' Haley Andrews.
Andrews (5-0) earned the win, holding JU to two runs on five hits in seven innings.
"Some credit has to go to their pitching staff for keeping us off balance, but I think we can be a little more disciplined as well," JU head coach Erica Ayers said.
Madison Ragan, Allie McCourt and Danielle Baker accounted for JU's other three hits.
Haley Holloway (3-3) was charged with the hard-luck loss after holding Kennesaw State to six hits in four innings, as the Owls swatted a pair of home runs.
"I thought the difference in today vs. last night had a lot to do with our pitch selection," Ayers said.
For a fleeting moment it looked like Sunday's first game might go like Saturday night's comeback. Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, Roberts cut the lead in half with a solo shot, just as Ragan had done the night before. But the Owls answered in the fifth to make it 3-1 and added another in the seventh to make it 4-1.
JU wasn't done just yet. Ragan, who began the game as the designated player but took over in relief of Holloway in the fifth, ripped an RBI triple to score Roberts, who led off the inning with a double. Andrews retired the next three batters in succession to end the contest.
Ragan finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI, and held the Owls to one run on three hits in three innings of relief work.
Game Two
In the series rubber match, the Dolphins were threatening an upset, but Kennesaw State prevailed 3-1.
Alyssa Bilodeau and Maddie Kaufman combined to limit Kennesaw State to three runs on six hits, but the Owls' combination of Hailey Andrews and Alley Cutting were too much to overcome. Bilodeau (15-11) took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits in four and a third. Cutting (14-8) earned the win, shutting out the Dolphins in the final four and two thirds innings.
Trailing 1-0 in the third, Roberts walked, moved to third on a double by Ragan, and scored on an RBI by Hannah Roberts.
Kennesaw State took a 2-1 lead in the fifth, and JU nearly answered the bell again. Hannah Roberts led off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Katelin Davis came in to pinch-run for Roberts in an attempt to manufacture some runs. Davis used her speed to advance to second on a groundout to third, then took third on a groundout to second. But the tying run was stranded 60 feet from home.
A Kennesaw State home run in the seventh made it 3-1. Then Cutting went groundout, strikeout, walk, fielder's choice in the bottom of the seventh.
Jacksonville wraps the regular season with a three-game series with Stetson in DeLand beginning Friday at 4 p.m.
