Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville softball secured its first victory of the season against the Nicholls State Colonels on Friday night by a final score of 9-3.

"We were very happy with how the team responded tonight. We were strong in the circle ad the kids were great at bats all night," commented Head Coach Erica Ayers. 

Sophomore pitcher Skylar Whitty made the most of her JU debut and struck out seven through six straight innings to collect her first win of the season.

A two-run double from junior Hannah Roberts sparked a five run first inning for the Dolphins as JU picked up a lead that never wavered.  Junior Serena Quinata drew a walk with the bases loaded to tack on a run before Jacqueline  Hodskins hit a sacrifice fly ball to left field to score Roberts. Freshman Madison Kennedy later scored on an errant Colonel throw to cap the Dolphins scoring in the first.

Nicholls added a run in the top of the second and top of the third, but Jacksonville answered back with a pair of runs in the next two innings. Freshman Leah Zatkiewicz scored on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from senior Kassidy Cross allowed freshman Ashley Darakjian to cross the plate in the third. Jacksonville followed up in the fourth with a solo homerun from Quinata.  Darakjian went back to work with an RBI single to plate the Dolphins last run of the evening.

Capitalizing in the top of the 6th Nicholls State brought in its last run of the game on a single to center field.

Senior Seana Mora struck out one and did not allow a hit in the final inning to seal the victory for JU.

Cross and Darakjian led the Dolphins as the duo both finished 2 for 3 at the plate. Cross, Roberts, and Quinata, all drove in a pair of runs while Perez, O'Neal and Darakjian all stole a base.

For the visitors, Caitlin Garcia finished the day 2 for 4 with a stolen base, while pitcher Emily Danehower gave up five runs over 5.0 innings of work in the loss.

The Dolphins return to the field tomorrow afternoon for a double header against Villanova (3 pm) and Nicholls State (5 pm).