BOX SCORE

ATLANTA – The Jacksonville State softball team's season came to an end in the NCAA Atlanta Regional on Saturday afternoon, when the Gamecocks dropped a 15-1 elimination game to Auburn at Georgia Tech's Mewborn Field.

After falling to No. 8 Georgia Tech on Friday night, the Gamecocks (30-19) dropped back-to-back games for the first time since March 20. The Tigers (31-25) stayed alive in the NCAA Tournament with an 18-hit offensive performance and a strong performance in the circle from Jenee Loree.

JSU's impressive turnaround came to an end in the loss. The Gamecocks were 11-13 at one point in late March but got things going to win 19 of their next 23 games to earn the No. 2 seed in the OVC Tournament, which they swept through in Martin, Tenn. The conference tourney victory assured them of their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

In the Regional, the Gamecocks were able to muster just three hits off the Auburn starter, with seniors Chrissy O'Neal and Hillary Downs and sophomore Tess Echols each recording a single. Loree fanned four batters while holding JSU to a run on three hits in six innings in the circle.

Junior Ashley Eliasson (21-9) suffered the loss for the Gamecocks after allowing eight runs, five earned, on 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings in the circle. Freshman Hilary Phillips made her postseason debut and surrendered seven runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 frames.

Auburn's Kyndall White went 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBI, while Kelsey Cartwright added four hits in five at bats.

Auburn put two runner on in the first and hit a two-out chopper back to the circle, but starting pitcher Ashley Eliasson threw it away to give the Tigers a pair of runs. Amber Harrison followed with an RBI single that capped the Tigers' three unearned runs in the top of the inning.

The Gamecocks couldn't get anything going at the plate, while the Tigers continued to take advantage of opportunities. They added one in the second and four more in the fifth to take a commanding 8-0 lead.

The Gamecocks were able to muster a run in the home half of the fifth, when senior Mary Beth Ledbetter drove in senior Hillary Downs on a ground ball to third. The run got JSU on the board and helped it avoid the mercy rule, but Auburn plated seven on a pair of long balls in the seventh to account for the final score.