JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the longest game played this season for the Jacksonville Dolphins, JU fell to Queens in nine innings, 6-5.
Jacksonville (15-15, 2-4) won the overall series against the Royals after a pair of wins on Saturday night but fell behind early on Sunday.
Queens jumped ahead in the second inning 5-0 and forced the Dolphins to battle back for the duration of the game.
Courtesy of a Madison Bratek single in the fifth, JU broke up Queens' no-hitter bid and pushed two runs across the plate. An error in the field by the Royals scored Haley Fox and after five, JU trailed narrowly 5-3.
In the sixth, pinch hitter Lindsey Chadwick came in and tied the game up with a single to right field. At 5-5, the game stayed scoreless until the ninth inning.
In the ninth, an error by the Dolphins that ricocheted off an outstretched glove scored the game's final run. Jacksonville went down in three batters in the bottom of the frame.
In the eighth, JU had a chance to win the contest with runners on first and second after a walk and an Alison Carter single. Three straight groundouts ended the comeback bid.
Carter led the clubhouse with a 2-4 showing at the plate. Chadwick and Bratek tied for the team lead with two RBIs each.
Pitching a relief effort in the circle, Jacy Harrelson put up a strong 5 2/3 innings. Harrelson allowed just three hits and no runs in her time pitching and fanned a career-high six batters.
Harrelson's six Ks were part of a nine-strikeout day by the Dolphin pitching staff, a season-best showing for the home squad. Hailey Strunk (1-3) struck out a pair and Skylar Waggoner fanned one while closing out the game.
Jacksonville now looks ahead to a matchup with crosstown rival UNF in its third conference series of the season.
The Ospreys come to Debbie and Fred Pruitt Softball Complex starting Thursday, March 27th with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. The final two games will be played at 7 p.m. on March 28th and 29th respectively.
COACH'S COMMENTS
"Series wins are important," head coach Erica Ayers said. "Of course we are glad we did it. I think we missed a golden opportunity for a sweep. We had our chances. Hitting is hard. It's constant adjustments all season long. Pitch to pitch, inning to inning, game to game. We have to keep learning. The game doesn't care what you did yesterday."
GAME NOTES
- Jacksonville went 3-for-10 (.300) with runners in scoring position.
- Jacksonville pitchers limited Queens to just 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
- Jacksonville pitchers faced 40 Queens hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out nine.
RELIVE THE MOMENTS
