CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Head coach
Erica Ayers already stood alone at the top of Jacksonville softball's all-time win record. Now, she adds another milestone to that history, reaching 200 wins as the leader of the Jacksonville Dolphins.
JU recorded a Saturday double-header sweep over the Queens Royals, winning 8-2 and 8-7 in the Tar Heel State. The Dolphins are red-hot in ASUN play, winning four-straight conference series.
Game One: JU 8 Queens 2
The Dolphins were hot early, taking down the Royals by six runs in the first game of the day. Graduate student catcher
Sarah Beth Brake led the way with three hits, going 3-4 on the day with a run scored.
The young guns brought the power for the Dolphins, as freshmen
Jaida Thomas and
Vic Brunette each hit home runs to add to JU's 33rd and 35th long balls of the season.
Sophomore
Jacy Harrelson got the start in the circle, tossing all seven innings. She kept a zero on the scoreboard for five innings, allowing just two runs and striking out 10 Royals, a new career high.Â
Thomas opened the day with a homer on the first at-bat of the game. In the second, Brunette's bomb scored three more 'Phins. In the top of the sixth, graduate student
Alison Carter and freshman
Emma Mansfield both knocked in a runner with a double. Carter scored herself as senior
Lindsey Chadwick reached on an error.
Game Two: JU 8 Queens 7
Five different Dolphins recorded multiple hits as Jacksonville secured a perfect Saturday sweep.
The bats came alive starting in the second inning. After graduate student
Kate Linkletter was hit by a pitch and redshirt sophomore
Tatum McCool singled, freshman
Elizabeth Harley brought in a runner with a single to center.
With the bases still juiced, Carter doubled to score all three and give JU a commanding 4-0 advantage.
Carter brought in another runner with a single in the top of the fourth to increase the lead to five. Freshman
Madisyn Weathers hammered a three-run shot in the top of the sixth to put JU up 8-0.Â
The Royals finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Queens rallied off five runs to cut the deficit, but in came freshman reliever
Margaret Jenkins to close the door.
She forced a pair of groundouts that were coolly handled by the middle infield to close out the JU win, 8-7.
Head Coach Erica Ayers
"Our kids played all three phases of the game really well today. Great day to be a Dolphin!"
Up Next
Jacksonville will look to complete its second series sweep of the conference season tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for noon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
