Box Score
OXFORD, Ala. - Eastern Illinois nearly pulled off the upset over No. 1 Jacksonville State Thursday evening as
Jessica Wireman took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Gamecocks were able to rally late scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn the 4-2 win.
With the loss, EIU moves into the loser's bracket to face Eastern Kentucky Friday morning at 10 a.m.
Wireman fell to 16-12 on the year recording six strikeouts over her six innings of work.
The Panthers out-hit the Gamecocks 7-3 in the game led by
Taylor Monahan who went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Thursday's game started off much like EIU's tournament opener against Murray State as Wireman and the Panther defense retired nine of JSU's first 10 batters.
Jennifer Ames sparked a Panther run in the top of the fifth inning coming in to pinch hit and striking a two-out single to left center field. Back-to-back singles from
Kayla Bear and Monahan loaded the bases for EIU with two outs and
Haley Mitchell stepping up to bat.
Mitchell hit an infield ground ball, but JSU's second baseman mishandled it allowing Mitchell to reach on the error and Ames to score from third to give EIU a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers extended their lead in the following inning thanks to a lead-off single up the middle from
Mady Poulter.
Tori Johnson advanced Poulter to second with a sacrifice bunt on the next at-bat. Poulter moved to third on a passed ball only to come home on an RBI single from
Maria DeVito to make it 2-0 in favor of EIU.
After Emily Woodruff was hit by a pitch, Wireman's no-hitter was finally broken in the bottom of the sixth as Anna Chisolm legged out an infield single just barely beating the throw to first. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position for Alexus Jimmerson who struck a single to center field to score both runners and tie the game 2-2.
Jamie McGuire sealed the comeback victory for the Gamecocks on the following at-bat with a two-run home run to right center field to put JSU in front 4-2.
Six different Panthers recorded a hit for EIU with
Amber Toenyes earning the only extra-base hit with a double in her first at-bat.
JSU's Whitney Gillespie recorded the complete game win with four strikeouts over seven innings to improve to 19-4.
