JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville University softball (13-25, 1-7 ASUN) dropped a pair of games to the Lipscomb Bisons (26-12-1, 5-3 ASUN) Saturday afternoon after holding leads in each. Five of Jacksonville's last six games have now been decided with runs in the final inning.
Game One
The Dolphins held onto a 1-0 lead through most of the early frames before a pair of runs in the top of the seventh dropped JU 3-2.
Alyssa Bilodeau pitched a complete game for a 14th time this season, which leads the ASUN conference. The junior held the Bisons to just one hit until the fifth inning and struck out three. Bilodeau earned just two of the three runs that scored, with one being the seventh inning game-winner that found its way through a whole in the infield.
Jacksonville's run scored during the second inning when a double steal was called with runners on first and third. Victoria Rodebaugh broke for home after the catcher made an attempt on the runner going to second. Rodebaugh also recorded one of the Dolphins' four hits in the game. Meanwhile, freshman Nydia Perez was the only Dolphin with multiple hits, going 2-3. Haley Holloway also reached with a single.
Bilodeau's record moves to 7-11 following the loss. The Bisons' Mary Jordan collected her seventh win of the season.
Game Two
Jacksonville's hot start in the second game was quickly erased as the game sat tied over the final three innings, forcing the game into extras for a fifth time this season. After the Bisons scored one in the top of the eighth, Jacksonville was unable to even things up before running out of outs.
Hits were more plentiful in game two as the two teams totaled 12. Haley Holloway got the scoring started with a 2-RBI single to get her team on the board first. Two batters later, Holloway reached home thanks to a Makenzie Buss single.
Jacksonville's lead lasted just an inning and a half before the Bisons managed to tie it up. As the next three innings went scoreless, the 'Phins entered extras for a fifth time this season. A single Bison run in the top of the eighth was all it took to put this one away.
Kassidy Cross, Maddie Kaufman, and Abby Genest were the other Dolphins to add hits in the game. Kaufman also reached with a walk. After receiving the loss, Seana Mora's record drops to 4-9. The junior allowed seven hits while earning two of the Bisons runs. Meanwhile, Lipscomb's Katie Turner earned her ninth win of the season.
Jacksonville will have one more crack at the Bisons tomorrow when they play the final game of the series at 1 PM. Sunday's contest is set to be broadcast on ESPN+.
