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2010 OVC Champs
2010 OVC Tournament Champions - Jacksonville State Gamecocks!

Softball

Gamecocks Claim OVC Tourney Crown With 10-1 Rout of UT Martin

BOX SCORE   |   PHOTO GALLERY

MARTIN, Tenn. – The Jacksonville State softball team routed top-seeded UT Martin, 10-1, in Saturday's championship game of the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, sending the Gamecocks to their third-straight NCAA Regional.

The second-seeded Gamecocks (30-17) got five RBI on two home runs from freshman Kelci Johnston to cruise to an early lead and they never looked back. They handed the Skyhawks (47-11) their fourth loss in five meetings this season via the mercy rule after sending them into the losers' bracket on Friday.

Junior Ashley Eliasson tossed all five frames for JSU to earn her 16th-straight decision and third of the tournament to earn all-tournament honors. Seniors Nikki Prier, Hillary Downs and Mary Beth Ledbetter joined Eliasson on the all-tourney team. Prier was named the tournament's most valuable player after going 6-for-10 with a double, two home runs and three RBI, including a 3-for-4 performance in the title game that also saw her homer and drive in two.

Ledbetter went 6-for-9 with a home run and three RBI on the tourney, including a solo homer on Saturday. Downs was 5-for-11 with two doubles, a homer and four RBI on the week, while Eliasson posted a 3-0 record and a 3.32 earned run average in the circle.

On Saturday, Prier started the rout with an RBI double in the first, and the flood gates opened in the third. JSU plated four runs in that inning, thanks to back-to-back home runs by Johnston and Prier. Johnston's three-run homer cleared the scoreboard in left and set up Prier's solo shot that easily made it out in right and gave the Gamecocks a 5-0 advantage.

Ledbetter led off the fourth with a solo homer, and Johnston followed with a two-run blast that was much deeper than her first. The second homer for the freshman from Northport, Ala., made her the 18th player in JSU history to homer twice in a game.

Downs laced an RBI double and sophomore Kaycee Crow added an RBI single to give JSU a 10-0 lead. The Skyhawks got one in the fourth but couldn't push another one across on Eliasson, who improved to 21-7 after holding the league's top offense to a run on five hits.

Kate Vanderham lost just her fourth game of the year but the second to JSU in as many days after surrendering four runs on five hits in just two innings of work. OVC Pitcher of the Year Paij Lintz surrendered three on two hits in 1 2/3 innings, before Leevie Greenwood came in and gave upthree runs on four hits without recording an out. Chelsea Jones held JSU scoreless on two hits over the final 1 2/3 frames of the game.

The Gamecocks will now turn their attention to the NCAA Selection Show, which will air on ESPNU on Sunday at 9 p.m. CT.


 
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