JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Eastern Illinois softball team dropped two games to Jacksonville State in Friday afternoon's doubleheader in Alabama. EIU only managed one run on the day falling to JSU 4-0 in the first game before the Gamecocks caught fire to win the late game 13-1 in five innings.

With the losses EIU falls to 9-19 on the season and 3-2 in the OVC while Jacksonville State improves to 15-13 on the season and 5-0 in the OVC.

April Markowski finished the day going 3-for-5 at the plate with one RBI, one run, and one home run.

It was a rocky start for the Panthers in game one against the Gamecocks as JSU's Whitney Gillespie struck out three of EIU's first four batters to close out the top of the first inning. 

Jacksonville continued their stellar first inning at the plate as Emily Church hit a two-run home run to put the Gamecocks ahead 2-0. JSU's Jamie McGuire continued the scoring for the Gamecocks in the next at bat with a solo shot over the left field wall to give Jacksonville State the 3-0 lead.

Jessica Wireman calmed down after the first inning as JSU added only one more run in the game. Gillespie scored the final run for the Gamecocks with a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning to achieve the final score of 4-0. 

Gillespie recorded the win for JSU on the mound throwing seven strikeouts over seven innings of work. With the loss Wireman falls to 7-14 on the season after recording two strikeouts and scattering seven hits in six innings on the mound.

Markowski finished the first game going 2-for-3 at the plate.

It was the same story, different chapter for EIU to start the second game against Jacksonville State as Michelle Rogers walked the first three Gamecock batters to load the bases. A single from JSU's Church followed by a double from McGuire gave the Gamecocks a 3-0 lead with no outs. Jacksonville State added three more runs before the end of the first thanks to a single from Emily Woodruff and another double this time from Ella Denes to give JSU a 6-0 lead heading into the second inning. 

The Gamecock's added to their lead in the bottom of the second inning as JSU's Denes and Hayley Sims each hit three-run home runs. Gillespie added one more run in the inning with an RBI double to left center field to give Jacksonville State a 13-0 lead headed into the third inning.

The Panthers avoided the five-inning shutout against JSU as Markowski hit a solo home run over the left field wall to lead off the top of the fifth inning. That would be all EIU would manage as JSU closed out the inning to earn the 13-1 victory in five innings.

Rogers, Amber Toenyes, and Wireman all saw time on the mound for EIU in the second game with Rogers recording the loss to fall to 2-5 on the season.

Their Panthers continue their OVC road trip with a doubleheader at Tennessee Tech tomorrow starting at 1 pm.