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OVC softball: SEMO's fast start knocks out JSU early

May 13—OXFORD — Jacksonville State looked loose and ready during batting practice.

During pregame fielding work, the infielders looked loose and ready. The outfielders looked loose and ready. In the bullpen, the pitchers and catchers looked loose and ready.

When the game started?

Not so much.

Fourth-seeded Jacksonville State fell 11-2 to top-seeded Southeast Missouri in their Ohio Valley Conference softball tournament opener Thursday, and this one got away from the Gamecocks minutes after it started.

All three JSU batters in the top of the first inning struck out, and in the bottom half of the inning, JSU pitchers Reagan Watkins and Hannah Brown allowed a combined eight runs.

"Terrible start," JSU coach Jana McGinnis said tersely afterward. "If you could have a nightmare about a start, that's it."

Asked to explain why the terrible start happened, McGinnis answered: "Nerves. Nerves. Not ready to handle the moment. That's all I can say."

JSU (23-24) now needs to win four straight games to win the championship and the automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. The Gamecocks need two wins just to make the final round. The last time they didn't get that far was 2015.

"We've got to show up early, do the little things, have better at-bats," McGinnis said. "And definitely make pitches, and eliminate walks."

Watkins had pitched a two-hitter against SEMO on Saturday, but SEMO (29-15) solved her early this time. After a single and two walks, SEMO's Kaylee Anderson slugged a one-out grand slam. After another walk, Karsyn Davis slugged a homer to make it 6-0.

McGinnis took out Watkins and inserted Brown. SEMO got a single and a walk, and Kynzie Wrigley ripped a double over the head of center fielder Keeli Bobbitt.

JSU got a solo homer in the second inning from Alexus Jimmerson, and Karsen Mosley's groundout brought home Savannah Sudduth in the fifth. But, SEMO had enough runs to invoke the eight-run mercy rule in the middle of the fifth inning.

McGinnis was at a loss to explain why nerves were an issue Thursday.

"I don't know why," she said. "Even at first when we're hitting, you've got experienced players there. We started a senior in the circle. It's just nerves."

What to know

—JSU managed three hits. Mosley had a single, and Bobbitt doubled in the fifth inning. Jimmerson finished 1-for-1 with a walk. Sudduth walked.

—Anderson finished 2-for-2 for SEMO with two homers and six RBIs. She also walked and scored three times.

—Watkins finished with one-third of an inning pitched and six runs allowed. Brown worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed three runs. Lexi Androlevich finished and pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing two runs.

—JSU pitchers combined for seven walks, and four of those runners eventually scored.

Who said

—McGinnis on the walks: "Ridiculous. Too many walks. Go at them. Let's see if they can hit it hard every pitch. Very disappointed in the circle."

—McGinnis on Wrigley's double over Bobbitt's head in the first inning, in which Bobbitt ran in only to see the ball go over her head: "Keeli ran in on a hard shot. She read it wrong, but here, it's tough, especially the first time with the background. We've seen that before with our outfielders."

Next up

—JSU will play an elimination game Friday at 2 p.m. against either third-seeded Austin Peay or second-seeded Eastern Kentucky. If the Gamecocks win that, they'll have to play another elimination game at 6 p.m. Friday. The championship round is Saturday at noon.

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