JSU softball: Gamecocks' Watkins wins OVC pitcher-of-the-week honor

Mark Edwards, The Anniston Star, Ala.
·2 min read

Mar. 8—Reagan Watkins arrived at Jacksonville State in 2018 as a transfer from Southern Mississippi with a bum shoulder.

Now, she's the Ohio Valley Conference pitcher of the week.

Watkins underwent surgery on her pitching shoulder in the spring of 2018. She was sidelined for seven months until cleared by doctors in December 2018. She was allowed to pitch in the spring of 2019 but was limited as she made her way back to full strength.

Since then, she's steadily gotten better and better.

This past weekend, the senior shined in JSU's three-game series at Belmont. The Gamecocks won two of the three contests, and she played a role in both victories.

She got the win in the first game of the series as JSU pulled off a 4-2 victory. She had a no-hitter until the seventh inning. She struck out a career-high 10 batters.

In a 5-2 win to close out the series, she pitched the final three innings to earn a save, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out three. At the plate, she added a single.

In 2019, she was 2-1 with a 4.27 ERA in 19 2/3 innings. Last season before COVID-19 shut down spring sports in March, she was 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 30 2/3 innings.

This year, she is 1-2 with a 2.88 ERA and already has worked a team-high 34 innings.

JSU (3-8) will host Ball State on Tuesday at home at 5 p.m. Then the Gamecocks will host UT Martin in a three-game series Friday and Saturday. There's a single game Friday at 4 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.

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