Jackson, Miss. — Jackson State’s softball team jumped to an early lead and never looked back, defeating Arlington Baptist 22-5 in their season opener Friday afternoon. The Tigers scored 10 runs in the first inning and maintained their advantage throughout the game.
Brooklyn Morris earned the win for Jackson State, pitching two innings and allowing one run on two hits. M. McDowell also contributed, tossing a shutout inning with one strikeout and no hits allowed.
The Tigers got off to a quick start, taking a 10-1 lead after the first inning. Meah Almarez drove in a run with a double, sparking the offense. Jackson State continued to add runs, including two in the second inning, with Ka’Liyah Gipson driving in one with a single. The Patriots struggled to keep pace, trailing 12-3 after two innings.
Jackson State’s offense exploded again in the third, scoring nine runs, highlighted by a solo home run from Summer Tyes. Arlington Baptist managed to cut the deficit to 21-5 before the Tigers added a final run in the fourth on an RBI single from Jhordan Dyer. The game ended with Jackson State securing the victory.
Gipson led the team with three hits, and four Tigers had multiple hits in the game. Jackson State stole eight bases, with Gipson and Ariah Hill each swiping two. The team’s pitchers held Arlington Baptist to a .200 batting average with runners in scoring position, facing 26 batters and recording two strikeouts.
At the plate, Tyes went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs, while A. Pena led Arlington Baptist with two hits in two at-bats. A. Nuno pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two runs for the Patriots.
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