Final Stats

AUBURNDALE, Fla.- For the second straight day, late inning heroics at the plate for Jacksonville State produced a 5-2 win over Nebraska-Omaha on Sunday at Lake Myrtle Park.

The Gamecocks (4-13) turned in their second consecutive win during the Matt Russ Central Florida event after edging Long Island on Saturday.  UNO, a rising NCAA Division I program, fell to 7-15 on the season.

After trailing 2-1 heading into the eighth inning, JSU plated four runs in its last two at bats to overcome the Mavericks.  Junior transfer Kyle Stone drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth on a single up the middle with two outs, scoring Erik Underwood.  Earlier in the frame, Jax State had the bases loaded with no outs, but hit into a double play.  Prior to Stone's liner up the middle, Kyle Bluestein scored on a Jeff McNichols wild pitch to knot the contest at 2-2.

JSU added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth after Bluestein laced a ball to centerfield to push Coty Blanchard and Scott Underwood across the dish.  Blanchard extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single to right field.  Underwood followed with a base hit to left to set the Gamecocks up for the scoring opportunity.  Scott Underwood, who has paced the Red and White line up during the Florida trip, finished the contest 4-for-5 and a pair of runs scored.  His first hit was a triple in the first and scored on Ben Waldrip's RBI to give JSU an early 1-0 lead.  Bluestein, Blanchard and Erik Underwood produced multi-hits in the contest.

After being staked to a 1-0 lead, JSU starter Hunter Rivers pitched out of two jams in the second and third, allowing UNO with single runs in the second and third.  Rivers went the first five innings and allowed the two Maverick runs.  Rivers, a right hander from Trinity, Ala. struck out a career high seven in his work on the mound.

JSU senior Tanner Freshour came in relief and allowed just two hits in two innings of work.  After the Gamecocks took the lead in the eighth, they went to closer, Todd Hornsby.  Hornsby carded his first save of the season on Saturday against LIU and in similar fashion, mowed the Mavericks down in his two innings.

As a staff, JSU pitchers combined to strikeout nine UNO batters.  Offensively, Jax State matched its season-high in hits with 13. 

UNO's McNichols was saddled with the loss as he was one of four Maverick pitchers in the affair.

The Gamecocks wrap up their trip in the state of Florida with a Monday contest with Northwestern.  First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at the Land O' Chains Complex.  The game will be aired on the Gamecock Sports Network.