Jackson State’s softball team came up just short in an 8-7 extra-inning loss to Florida A&M on Friday evening in Tallahassee, Florida. The Tigers mounted multiple scoring rallies but ultimately fell in the bottom of the eighth inning, according to school officials.
Jackson State (23-20, 15-7 Southwestern Athletic Conference) took an early lead in the third inning, scoring three runs with two outs. Jace Jackson sparked the rally with an RBI triple, followed by Meah Almaraz’s run-scoring double. Gabrielle Willis added an RBI single to give the Tigers a 3-0 advantage. Florida A&M responded in the bottom half of the inning with four runs to take a 4-3 lead.
The Tigers responded again in the fifth inning with a four-run frame, capitalizing on defensive miscues. Beija Allen drove in two runs with a single, extending the lead to 7-5. Florida A&M tied the game at seven in the bottom of the inning with two outs, and the game was decided in the eighth inning when Douglas hit a walk-off single for the Rattlers.
Jackson finished with six hits, with contributions from Jackson, Almaraz, Willis, Allen, Brooklyn Morris, and Ka’Liyah Gipson. Allen led with two RBIs, while Jackson added an RBI and scored twice. Morris reached base three times and scored twice, providing a spark at the top of the lineup.
In the circle, Jorgina Gant pitched a complete game, working through traffic for more than seven innings and recording three strikeouts. Florida A&M’s late rally secured the win, ending Jackson State’s hopes for victory.
The Tigers will conclude the regular season with a doubleheader against Florida A&M, with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. CT on SWAC TV. Follow Jackson State Athletics for updates via social media at @GoJSUTigers on Instagram and Twitter, and Jackson State Tigers on Facebook.
