JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville University softball (10-11) cruised to their fourth consecutive victory Saturday night by hanging nine runs on the UNCW Seahawks (12-10). With the win, Jacksonville collects their third win of the tournament, which ranks second to only Ball State (18-9).
Alyssa Bilodeau made the start in the circle for JU and pitched a complete game for an eighth time this season. The junior compiled 11 strikeouts against 30 batters faced. It was her third game of the season with double-digit strikeouts.Â
After both teams were quiet in the first two innings, the Dolphins made their way onto the scoreboard when Makenzie Buss sent her second homer in two days over the left field fence. They struck again when Hannah Roberts singled to left, scoring Nydia Perez.Â
With runs in the fourth and fifth innings as well, Jacksonville held a 5-0 lead over the Seahawks. In the top of the sixth, however, the Seahawks threatened with a 2-run homer. Unwilling to allow UNCW back into the game, Jacksonville strung together five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 9-2. Although errors contributed to two of the runs, Buss and Kassidy Cross combined for three RBIs in the inning.Â
The Seahawks managed to get one more baserunner in the top of the seventh, but found no answer to the Dolphins' 7-run lead. Buss produced the most impressive trips to the plate for JU, going 3-4, scoring three times, and collecting a pair of RBIs. Perez, who scored twice, showed patience in her at bats and reached three times on walks. With the win, Bilodeau moves to 4-5 on the season.
"I think it was a total team effort. All three parts of the game we rolling tonight. I though offense executed very well. We got timely hits and put up a big number. Alyssa spun the ball fantastic, and we played good defense. When you put all three phases together usually good things happen," said Head Coach Erica Ayers.Â
Jacksonville concludes tournament play tomorrow with games against Cleveland State at 11:30 AM and Charleston Southern at 2 PM.
