JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville softball team won both games of its doubleheader with Austin Peay on Saturday, marking its fifth and sixth wins in a row, all six in conference play.
 
Freshman Skylar Waggoner set the tone in game one with a strong performance, and Alison Carter continues to be scorching hot in the batter's box as she recorded three hits – bringing her total in the last six games up to 13. Madison Reynolds extended her current on-base streak to 10, getting on base in both contests of the afternoon, and Madison Bratek is up to seven as she had a three-hit day.
 
GAME ONE

The Dolphins won a pitcher's duel 2-0 in a low-scoring affair in game one of the afternoon.
 
Skylar Waggoner (5-7) spun an absolute gem in what was her second career complete game shutout. The freshman surrendered just four hits in seven innings of work and struck out an additional five batters. In addition to her seven innings pitched, four of them were 1-2-3 innings.
 
Jacksonville scored once in the first inning and again in the third inning, but thanks to lockdown pitching, it was enough. In the first frame, Madison Reynolds earned a one-out walk, and she advanced to second on a Kari Holzrichter tap-out to the pitcher. Averi Harcus then stepped up to the plate and delivered with a single to left field, which scored the speedy Reynolds from second base to get JU on the board.
 
In the third inning, Madison Bratek got things started with a single in between third and shortstop, and she got to second on a passed ball by the Austin Peay catcher. Reynolds then strategically laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Bratek over to third, and a deep fly ball to center field from Holzrichter scored Bratek on a sacrifice fly.
 
The closest the Governors got to scoring was in the fourth inning, when they loaded the bases with just one out. On what appeared to be a sacrifice fly to left field was called back due to batter's interference at home plate. Waggoner took advantage of the opportunity and got the next Govs batter to fly out to Madison Bratek in center and end the threat. The next time a batter reached was in the sixth for APSU, which brought the tying run to the plate. In a lengthy, 10-pitch battle, Waggoner's rise-ball got the Govs batter to chase outside of the zone and stop any chance for newfound momentum.
 
Offensively, Alison Carter and Madison Bratek combined for four hits on the day, with Kari Holzricther and Averi Harcus picking up the game-winning RBIs for what was the Dolphins' fifth win in a row.
 
GAME TWO

Jacksonville won its second of the day in different fashion compared to the first, winning 6-5 in as close a contest as it could be down the stretch.
 
Shelby Harpe (5-6) started in the circle and pitched six innings. She surrendered four runs on four hits and picked up her fifth win of the season in the process.
 
The Dolphins used a four-spot in the bottom of the second inning to separate from the Governors early. Allison Bratek started the frame with a single to center, and two batters later Kailey Harrigan was hit by the pitch. Gabi Robles then slapped a perfect bunt for an infield single, and the Dolphins had the bases loaded with just one out. Two pitches later, a wild pitch moved everyone up a base, and Dacie Watterson hit an infield single to score another. Madison Bratek then had an infield single herself, which scored Robles, and an error by the Govs shortstop brought home Watterson to give JU its 4-0 lead. In the next inning, Harcus ripped a single up the middle that deflected off the pitcher, and Carter continued to stay hot from the plate and doubled in Harcus to extend the JU lead to five.
 
A walk and two singles had the bases loaded with Govs to start the fourth inning, and another single that squeaked through the right side saw APSU score its first run of the day. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly to right field had Austin Peay down three at 5-2, but Shelby Harpe limited the damage to two runs for APSU.
 
Austin Peay continued to rally, scoring one in the fifth off a sacrifice fly and another in the sixth off a solo homer, but JU's bend-don't-break pitching in the end got the last laugh. Jordan White entered in the top of the seventh, and after a leadoff walk, got the next to batters via flyout and swinging strikeout. A pair of wild pitches in the process moved the leadoff runner to third, and another freshman, Reese Wells, entered in attempt of a one-out save. Wells's second pitch of the game grazed the elbow of the batting Governor, but a four-pitch strikeout subsequently ended the game, clinching JU's sixth win in a row.
 
 
WHAT THEY SAID

 

Hear from @JAX_CoachE and @Skylar1Waggoner after the Dolphins wins over Austin Peay!#JUPhinsUp x #UNCOMMON pic.twitter.com/cjtjq8XEpa

— Jacksonville Softball ?? (@JAX_Softball) April 7, 2024

 
UP NEXT
The Dolphins wrap up their three game series with the Governors tomorrow, with first pitch slated for a noon start time. Livestats can be followed on JUDolphins.com