JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University softball team opened week three of ASUN Conference play Saturday afternoon at the Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex as they welcomed division leader FGCU to town. The Dolphins (17-8, 5-3) were able to outlast the Eagles (16-11, 7-1) in a low-scoring affair in game one 1-0, but were unable to match a big first inning by the Eagles in game two and fell by a score of 6-3.
The series opener was pitcher's duel from the beginning as scoring opportunities were hard to come by for either side. Jacksonville got a leadoff double by
Victoria Rodebaugh to start the home first but nothing came of it as the next three Dolphins were retired in order.
FGCU connected with a leadoff double of their own in the second inning, but like JU, could not find a way to get that run across. In the bottom of the inning, the Eagles retired the first two batters of the inning before
Madison Kennedy stepped to the plate. The Jacksonville catcher provided the lone of the game when she turned around a 2-1 pitch to straightaway centerfield for her third homerun of the season.
The Eagles looked to answer in the third inning, getting a pair of baserunners following a single and a double, but
Alyssa Bilodeau was able to work out of trouble, getting a pop out to Kennedy behind the plate and a strikeout to dash FGCU's hopes of evening the score.
JU had a chance to add to their lead in the fifth inning when
Abby Quinn and
Madison Reynolds reached on back-to-back two-out singles, but the Eagles recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
FGCU had a chance to tie things in the seventh inning, getting a one-out baserunner who advanced all the way to third via a sacrifice bunt and passed ball to put the equalizer 60 feet away with two outs, but Bilodeau (8-5) slammed the door, getting a strikeout to end the game and post her fifth shutout of the season.
In the second game of the afternoon, FGCU got on the board first, scoring four runs off of Jacksonville starter
Skylar Whitty by way of three hits and a pair of defensive miscues.
The Dolphins would be held scoreless until the fourth inning.
Samantha Poehlman led the inning off with a bunt single and was followed by a
Kailey Harrigan single back through the box.
Makenzie Buss then reached on a fielder's choice, beating out the back end of a double play that saw pinch runner
Haley Holloway out at second base to put runners at the corner with one gone.
Madison Kennedy stepped into the box and singled a 2-1 pitch through the left side to plate Poehlman and keep things rolling.
Caroline Watson was next in line after grabbing a bat to pinch hit and delivered a single thought the right side to load the bases for JU.
Ashley Darakjian followed and reached on another fielder's choice that scored Buss but saw
Abby Quinn, who re-entered for Watson, forced out at second. Following a steal of second by Darakjian,
Victoria Rodebaugh singled to left to plate pinch runner
Hallie Kern to get JU back within one at 4-3 before the inning ended.
After a scoreless fifth inning, FGCU was able to add a pair of insurance runs to make it a 6-3 game after the first two batters of the inning reached and advanced into scoring position.
The Dolphins looked to rally in their final at-bats of the day, but were held in check over the last two innings as the Eagles held on to win 6-3 and even the series at 1-1.
Whitty (6-3) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs, of which one was earned, in her four innings of work with a pair of strikeouts.
Seana Mora came on in relief to start the fifth and worked the final three innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Poehlman turned in a 2-4 effort with a run scored to lead JU in game two as eight different players found their way into the hit column.
The two teams will wrap the three-games series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 PM.
