NASHVILLE - A pair of one-run games led to a split on Saturday for the Jacksonville University softball team against Lipscomb. The Dolphins (22-22,12-8 ASUN) rallied back from an early deficit in the first game before winning a pitcher's duel in the second, clinching a spot in the ASUN conference tournament.
Game One
The Bison jumped out to a 2-0 lead, scoring in the second and third innings off a sacrifice fly and a successful double steal. JU answered back in the fourth, with
Gabi Robles reaching on an error and scoring
Alison Carter to make it a 2-1 game. Another sacrifice fly in the bottom half for Lipscomb gave the Bison a 3-1 lead heading into the late innings.
A fifth-inning
Kailey Harrigan home run to left field cut the deficit back down to one, giving Jacksonville offensive momentum. A sixth-inning rally followed, with
Kassidy Pontbriant scoring
Dacie Watterson with a pinch-hit RBI double to tie the game at 3-3. Another pinch-hit opportunity gave the Dolphins the lead as
Lindsey Chadwick drove in
Allison Bratek with a groundout to the shortstop.
Gabi Robles scored for the second time in the game later that inning on a wild pitch, as JU held on to a two-run lead late in the game. The Bison were held in check in the bottom half of the sixth but loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with no outs. A sacrifice fly, the third of the game for Lipscomb, cut the deficit to one, with a single to left-center driving in two for a walk-off victory.
Game Two
Skylar Waggoner stepped in the circle for the Dolphins in the second game of the doubleheader, staying for the remainder of the game as the freshman left-hander only needed one run from the offense, throwing a complete game shutout.
Kari Holzrichter drove in the lone run in the game, singling through the right side to score
Madison Reynolds, with both Jacksonville hits coming in the inning. Reynolds put herself in scoring position after a bunt single and stolen base, giving Waggoner the run she needed to earn the win.
Waggoner finished with seven strikeouts and no walks, giving up six hits and no runs. The seven strikeouts mark her career high in her first season at Jacksonville, earning her first career seven-inning shutout victory.
Next Up
The winner of the series will be decided on Sunday, with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. Jacksonville will look to win its fourth of the last five series heading into the final weekend series of the regular season.
