JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - It was an early morning start for the Jacksonville University softball team Sunday morning as they were back at the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex to conclude their four-game homestand and wrap up the regular season against North Alabama. The Dolphins (26-17) used a strong outing from
Alyssa Bilodeau in game one to pick up a 3-1 win before the Lions (19-17) were able to take a low-scoring game two by a score of 2-1.
Jacksonville struck first in the opener, tallying the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. After
Victoria Rodebaugh reached base with a one-out bunt single and advanced to second on a groundout, an error on a ball off the bat of
Kassidy Cross by UNA allowed Rodebaugh to score all the way from second on a ball that never left the infield, as the junior was running on contact and never broke stride as she raced around third towards the plate.
After being held scoreless in the second and third innings, JU tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning on a two-out two-run double from
Madison Kennedy to take a 3-0 lead.
The Lions got on the board in the sixth inning with a two-out RBI double to right center, but that would be the only run they could muster in the opener.
Bilodeau (11-7) spun another gem in the circle, going the distance for the 15th time this season. The right-hander struck out eight Lions in the game, and tied the Jacksonville career record for strikeouts at 613, a mark set by Sarah Sigrest from 2009-2012. She allowed just one run on three hits and allowed two walks as the Dolphins took game one 3-1.
With history looming, Bilodeau got the ball to start game two and needed just one batter to stand alone at the top of the record book, striking out the leadoff batter for career strikeout 614 to set a new all-time record. After a brief pause in the action to celebrate history, Bilodeau came out of the game and turned things over in the circle to
Seana Mora.
Much like game one, JU struck first, but this time not until the third inning. After back-to-back singles from
Carolyn O'Neal and
Samantha Poehlman to start the inning,
Victoria Rodebaugh laid down a bunt back to the circle, where there was some confusion among the UNA defense on who was to field the bunt. Rodebaugh beat out the throw from the pitcher, which sailed wide of the back and went into right field, allowing O'Neal to score and Poehlman to advance to third on the play.
The lead would be short-lived however, as the Lions needed just two batters in the fourth inning to take the lead. After a leadoff triple, a homerun to straightaway centerfield flipped the score in favor of North Alabama at 2-1.
Jacksonville had an opportunity for the equalizer in the bottom of the inning when
Haley Holloway tripled with two outs, but nothing came of it as UNA worked a flyout to end the inning. The Dolphins got runners on base in each of the last two innings and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but a comeback was not in the cards as the Lions took a well-pitched game two 2-1.
Mora (6-3) took the loss, allowing two runs on 10 hits while striking out a pair in her 4 2/3 innings of action.
Skylar Whitty kept JU in reach late, coming on in relief of Mora in the seventh to work out of a bases-loaded no-out jam to keep it a one-run game.
Rodebaugh went 3-4 in the game to lead the offense as five other players also found their way into the hit column.
Up next, Jacksonville will make the short trip back across town for the opening round of the 2021 ASUN Softball Championship against the two seed in the South Division North Florida. Games one and two of the best-of-three series will be played Friday at the UNF Softball Complex starting at 1 PM. If necessary, game three will be played Saturday at 1 PM.
