JSU softball: When Gamecocks needed it the most, Rodriguez twirls a shutout

Feb. 28—JACKSONVILLE — In the midst of the worst start in Jacksonville State softball history, the Gamecocks needed somebody to step forward.

It could be anybody. Anybody at all. Just somebody to do something that would lift them to a win.

Enter Nicole Rodriguez, a senior pitcher who struggled in her only other appearance this season, working less than an inning.

In the second game of a Saturday doubleheader against a powerful Southern Mississippi team, Rodriguez started and got thrown in the pressure cooker. She proved too tough to chew.

In a 3-0 victory, Rodriguez threw a six-hit shutout and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts. It's her second career shutout after shutting out Austin Peay in 2019.

"I came in with a lot of confidence, because this is what our team needed," Rodriguez said. "I decided in my mind going in that I was really going to leave it all out there this time and from now on."

The Gamecocks had lost seven straight to open the year, including an 8-2 loss to USM in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. The 1994 and 2012 teams set the previous record by opening with five straight losses.

Rodriguez allowed one base runner in the second through seventh innings. Her toughest inning was the first when USM (10-3) had a runner on third with one out. Rodriguez got a strikeout, gave up a bunt hit that didn't allow the runner to score, then closed the inning with another strikeout.

In the last inning, with the home dugout cheering furiously for Rodriguez to close out the win, she gave up a hit to start the inning but rallied with two strikeouts and a routine flyout to center field.

"We needed it," JSU coach Jana McGinnis said. "If there was a game or win that we needed, it was this one. We needed it bad."

McGinnis credited pitching coach Sallie Beth Burch and volunteer assistant Matty Moss, a former All-SEC pitcher at Tennessee, for giving Rodriguez and the other JSU pitchers a boost during the week. Both coaches worked with the players on the mental game, and it's clear that Rodriguez understood the lesson.

"She wasn't trying to do too much," McGinnis said. "She was getting ahead of hitters. She was going at them. I was proud of that. I was proud of Nicole. I've told her for years that she's got stuff that can dominate. But your bad is too bad. Your good stuff, you can dominate."

McGinnis said that when Rodriguez struggles, it's hard for her to break out of it. That's part of why posting a zero in the first inning was so important Saturday.

"I had goosebumps, but after the first inning when she was staying around the strike zone and staying around the low plane, she just seemed like she was in the most control that I've seen her in three years," McGinnis said. "I thought, 'Nicole's going to have a good day.'"

Rodriguez got help. She credited freshman catcher Caroline Lively for her job behind the plate, especially how she framed pitches, grabbing an extra strike here and there.

Also, she got help defensively, especially from left fielder Jada Terry and third baseman Karsen Mosley. Terry made a running catch on a dying fly in foul territory. In the sixth inning, she made a running catch against the fence to save an extra-base hit. Mosley knocked down a hard, spinning shot, corralled it off the turf and fired a throw to first to get the out.

"I really trusted my pitches and my pitch-calling from Coach Sallie and Coach Matty," Rodriguez said. "The catching was amazing, Caroline back there framing balls. She did great. Great defense behind me with Jada, Karsen and everybody."

Now, as JSU opens Ohio Valley Conference play Saturday at Belmont, Rodriguez says she's ready to keep helping her team.

"I know I'm going to have to keep bringing that every single time," she said.

What to know

—Right fielder Savannah "Bam" Sudduth was 1-for-9 entering Saturday's games, but went 4-for-8 for the day.

—Alexus Jimmerson went 3-for-4 for the day, walked and drove in a run.

—Mosley and Megan Fortner each drove in a run in the win in the second game. Alex Howas started both games at second base and went 1-for-6 with an RBI.

Who said

—Sudduth on the win and Rodriguez's performance: "We've had a rough time at the beginning of the season. To come out there and see Nicole Rodriguez have the shutout, putting us on her back, it was a great feeling. Hopefully, we're going to feed off that in the OVC in conference play. It's a good feeling."

—Sudduth on breaking out after the slow start: "One time, Coach McGinnis looked at me when I got to third and said, 'Congratulations, you're looking like "Bam."' I was like, 'You know, I'm starting to feel like "Bam" again.'"

—McGinnis on the slump to open the season: "A lot of people kept looking at how we were 0-4, 0-5, 0-6, 0-7. I kept telling myself we were not the typical winless team. This is one of the hardest-working teams. They get here early and are late leaving. We had players up here at 8 o'clock this morning. Our pitching staff is working harder than they've ever worked. I'm a big believer that if you put in the work, while it's not a guarantee, chances are good things are going to happen."

Next up

—In 11 seasons, JSU has won the OVC softball regular-season title, the tournament title or both. The Gamecocks will open their final OVC season Saturday with a doubleheader at Belmont at 1 p.m. They'll play a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Senior Editor Mark Edwards: 256-235-3570. On Twitter: @MarkSportsStar.