JSU softball: McLemore, Carter play their part in Gamecocks' win over La.-Monroe

Mar. 2—JACKSONVILLE — For a team full of newcomers, Jacksonville State doesn't exactly play like a bunch of newbies.

Jacksonville State cruised past Louisiana Monroe 7-0 at home Wednesday afternoon, and two newcomers helped push the Gamecocks to the victory. Shortstop Camryn McLemore, a junior and a transfer from South Alabama, went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and made a couple of hit-saving plays.

In the circle, freshman Kat Carter pitched a complete game, allowed only three hits and didn't walk a batter while striking out five.

"They're two of the reasons our chemistry is just there," JSU coach Jana McGinnis said. "They're bringing a new energy. They're bringing an attitude. They're bringing a new approach. I'm proud of a lot of our newcomers there. They've come right in and have led. They haven't taken a backseat. They've put team first and they want to win."

Of the 22 players on JSU's roster, 16 are in their first or second year on the team. The starting lineup Wednesday included five players in their first year at JSU, including Carter, who benefited from her offense producing two runs in the first inning.

After that, she kept JSU in front the rest of the way. The lead stayed at 2-0 until McLemore slugged a two-run triple in the fifth inning to make it 4-0. JSU added another run that inning and two more in the sixth.

Carter beat Louisiana-Monroe (13-5) for the second time this year. In a game at a Southern Mississippi event about two weeks ago, she threw all 11 innings in a 3-2 victory over ULM, which is coached by former Alabama star Molly Fichtner.

In the first meeting, Carter threw inside plenty, as she likes to do. This time, JSU pitching coach Sallie Beth Burch warned that ULM likely would be watching for the inside pitch and instructed Carter to go outside.

"This game, we said we were going to pitch them backward," Carter said. "They were waiting for my inside pitches. They weren't expecting me to stay outside on them. That helped tremendously because that helped me get a lot of strikes there."

The only time Carter had any trouble was in the fourth inning. That was also McLemore's best defensive inning.

A double and an error put runners on first and second with nobody out. The next batter hit a chopper to McLemore, who stabbed it and threw to third base for the out. The following two batters grounded out to McLemore as well.

Of the last 13 batters Carter faced, she retired 12 of them.

"Last week we had a team meeting and talked about being a better team and having a dog mentality," McLemore said. "Today, I felt like (Carter) had that dog mentality. She knew what she had to get done, and she did it. If she didn't, we had her back. We all worked together, and that's what it's supposed to look like — teamwork."

What to know

—Left fielder Sidney Wagnon went 2-for-2, scored two runs and walked twice for JSU. She also made a catch in the corner.

—McLemore is 9-for-24 for the season. She also has six walks, which means she has reached base 15 times in 30 plate appearances for a team-leading .500 on-base percentage.

—Addie Robinson was 1-for-2 with an RBI, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.

—Keeli Bobbitt, Mosley, Megan Fortner each had a single. Lindsey Richardson had an RBI double.

Who said

—Carter on what it means to pitch with a 2-0 lead in the first inning: "It's so much easier when we have runs behind us. I just feel like the weight is taken off my shoulders."

—McLemore on how she has fit in as a first-year player at JSU: "This team and this staff, they've welcomed me with open arms. When you have people behind you, it makes it easy to do what you love to do each and every day. I know they have my back, and I have their back."

—McGinnis on starting McLemore on Wednesday, although senior shortstop Chaney Phillips has been productive, too: "She hit their pitchers very good there, and that's how we chose to go with her. But I'll tell you, that position right there, they're battling. They've both been hitting good."

—McGinnis on the game plan to have Carter pitch outside rather than in as Carter likes: "That makes me more confident in a freshman pitcher that she can throw her weaker pitches and trust them. She trusts Coach Sallie. That's big, because Kat likes to throw in. She likes to challenge hitters in on their hands, but she went away and used the other side of the plate. She didn't question it. She went out and did it."

Next up

—JSU (7-6) will play at the MSU Bulldog Invitational on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, they'll face Furman at 10 a.m. and Alcorn State at 12:30 p.m. On Saturday, they'll play Furman at 10 a.m. and Mississippi State at 12:30 p.m.

Senior Editor Mark Edwards: 256-235-3570. On Twitter: @MarkSportsStar.