Jax State Swept by Tennessee Tech on Saturday

Saturday, May 9

Cookville, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Jacksonville State University

Tennessee Tech

Todd Cunningham had a pair of hits vs Tech on Saturday

5/9/2009 6:50:10 PM | Baseball

GAME ONE FINAL STATS GAME TWO FINAL STATS

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – A.J. Kirby-Jones hit a pair of two-run home runs to lead Tennessee Tech to a 5-1 win over Jacksonville State in the opening game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series on Saturday. Tech rallied to score four runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 5-3 come-from-behind win in the night cap.

Jax State falls to 28-19 overall and remained in fourth place with a 10-9 OVC record, while Tennessee Tech improved to 22-20-1 overall and 7-11-1 in the conference.

In the opener, Ryan Dennick (2-2) scattered six hits in five innings on the mound to earn the win. Kirby-Jones had nine strikeouts in four innings of relief to earn his second save of the year. JSU's Daniel Watts allowed three runs to suffer the loss for the Gamecocks.

The Golden Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the third inning after Kirby-Jones hit a two-run home runs to left field and then extended the lead in the seventh inning.

Chad Hayes led off with a double and Chad Oberaker had a RBI single to right field to give TTU a 3-0 lead. Kirby-Jones then slugged his second homer of the game as Tech built a 5-0 lead.

Jax State got on the board in the top of the eighth inning after Kyle Bluestein walked and moved to second after Daniel Adamson was hit by a pitch. Sam Eberle followed with a RBI single to left field to score Bluestein and cut the lead to 5-1, but the Gamecocks could get no closer.

Todd Cunningham went 2-for-4 to lead the Gamecocks at the plate, while Kirby-Jones, Henry and Hayes each had a pair of hits for Tennessee Tech.

In the second game, Lee Henry tossed a complete-game and had six strikeouts to lead TTU to a 5-3 win. JSU's Austin Lucas (6-2) allowed all five runs to suffer just his second loss of the season.

Tech took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Oberaker had a one-out triple and came in to score on an infield grounder by Ben Burgess.

Jax State tied the game in the second inning when Jake Sharrock had a two-out single and Andrew Edge followed with a walk. Cunningham had a RBI single to right field to score Sharrock and tie the game at 1-1.

The Gamecocks took the lead in the top of the fifth inning after Cunningham led off with a double off the top of the centerfield wall and moved to third on a wild pitch. Bluestein followed with a RBI double to right center to give JSU a 2-1 lead.

Jacksonville State extended the lead in the sixth inning after Cunningham reached on an infield grounder and scored from first when Steven Leach had a RBI double down the right field corner to give JSU a 3-1 advantage.

The Golden Eagles took the lead in the home half of the sixth, thanks to three walks, a wild pitch and a Gamecock throwing error.

Kirby-Jones walked and moved to third on a double by Ben Burgess. Casanova Donaldson had a RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2. Evan Webb then walked and Tech tied the game when Tate McMillan had a RBI infield ground out.

The Golden Eagles took the lead after Donaldson scored on a Bill Henke wild pitch and TTU added an insurance run when Henry hit a ball through the right side to score Webb for the final margin.

Leach finished 3-for-4, while Cunningham and Sharrock each had a pair of hits for the Gamecocks.

The two teams will play the final game of the OVC series on Sunday. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Bush Field.