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JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State softball team will be at home on Friday and Saturday, when they host a key Ohio Valley Conference series with UT Martin at University Field. Admission is free to all games.

The Gamecocks (13-14, 2-4 OVC) welcome first-place UT Martin (26-4, 7-0 OVC) to University Field for a three-game OVC series at University Field, a series that will be played on Friday and Saturday because of Easter.

The three-game set offers the defending champion Gamecocks a chance to gain some ground on the league leaders in the OVC race, something no one has been able to do against the Skyhawks thus far in 2010. Jax State has had UTM's number in the series, however, holding a 20-10 advantage that includes an 18-4 record against the Skyhawks since moving to Division I in 1996.

UTM eliminated the Gamecocks from last year's OVC Tournament at University Field, a win that snapped a 16-game losing streak to JSU. The Gamecocks have swept the regular-season series from the Skyhawks in each of the last five seasons.

The Gamecocks have been led of late by the emergence of junior infielder Sallie Beth Burch. The Moulton, Ala., native that transferred to JSU from Wallace State Community College has hit .625 over the Gamecocks' first six conference games, a stretch that has seen her post a .750 slugging percentage and a .700 on-base percentage. She now leads the team in hitting on the year with a .333 average.

The Skyhawks lead the OVC in hitting with a .319 average and boast a league-low 1.65 earned run average. JSU ranks third in the league both in hitting and pitching.