The Jackson State University Lady Tigers softball team rebounded from their Southwestern Athletic Conference opening day loss to visiting Bethune-Cookman by upending the Lady Wildcats twice on Sunday at the JSU Softball Stadium.
The Lady Tigers stormed out to a 7-0 shutout win in game one before tallying a 2-1 victory in the second contest. With Sunday's wins, Jackson State now holds records of 11-8 overall and 2-1 in the SWAC Eastern Division, while Bethune-Cookman dropped to 6-17 overall and 1-2 in the division.
Game 1: Lady Tigers 7, BCU 0
The Lady Tigers set the tone for the day by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning and were never threatened thereafter. Four runs were added in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Leading the way for JSU were left fielder Mari Stephens, who went 3-for-4 with one run scored, second baseman
Zoey Keyes, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and center fielder Lauren Steward, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored. Pitcher
Victoria Salazar picked up the complete game victory for the Lady Tigers.
Game 2: Lady Tigers 2, BCU 1
In a much lower-scoring defensive game, the Lady Tigers knotted Game 2 at 1-1 in the bottom of the third inning when Stephens blasted a solo home run to left center. Then, in the bottom of the fifth inning, the winning run was scored when Stephens singled to left field, scoring third baseman
Rachel Barker, who had reached base earlier on a bunt.
As she did in Game 1, Stephens again was the leader for the victorious Lady Tigers, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored. JSU's other two hits in the game came from Barker, who went 1-for-2, and first baseman
Alexis Arredondo, who went 1-for-3. Pitcher
Macie Kuppenbender picked up the win, her fifth of the season.
Next up for the Lady Tigers will be a non-conference game against Northwestern State at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the JSU Softball Stadium.
