JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Eastern Kentucky built a 7-3 lead after the first two innings but Jacksonville State scored five times in the fifth to pull out an 8-7 victory and complete the series sweep on Sunday. Shyenne Hussey went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and one driven in for the Colonels (19-14, 8-6 OVC). Allie Barker finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBIs for the Gamecocks (23-9, 12-1 OVC).
Chanze Patterson led off the game with a solo home run to stake EKU to an early lead. Jena Handley and Katie Rolf each had RBI singles later in the inning as the Colonels built a 3-0 advantage. Barker got the Gamecocks on the board in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double.
Eastern Kentucky scored four in the second. Erin Luther reached on a fielder’s choice and drove in Cassi Gibson. Hussey’s run scoring single through the right side extended the lead to 5-1. Handley drew a bases loaded walk and Rolf drove in another on a ground out to make it 7-1 in favor of the visitors.
JSU stayed in the game with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second inning. Rachel Fleming drove in one with a single down the left field line and later scored on a wild pitch.
The score remained 7-3 until the Gamecock half of the fifth inning. The first two runners reached and Barker cleared the bases with a three-run shot over the center field fence. Alana Hicks made it back-to-back homers and tied the game with another shot over the center field fence. Fleming pushed across the go ahead run later in the inning with a single through the left side.
In the top of the seventh, Pam Webber and Gibson reached base with two outs. Patterson followed with a single but the tying run was thrown out at the plate to end the game.
Fleming finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs for Jacksonville State. Patterson went 3-for-5 at the plate, scored twice and drove in one for Eastern.
The Colonels return to action on Wednesday when they host Morehead State for a single game. The first pitch at Gertrude Hood Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.
