FINAL STATS

RICHMOND, Ky. – Scott Underwood had a pair of hits and drove in two runs to lead Jacksonville State to its fifth straight win as the Gamecocks claimed a 4-2 win over Eastern Kentucky in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams.
 
Travis Stout (3-1) picked up his third win over the season after not allowing a run in 1 1/3 innings of relief, while Todd Hornsby recorded the final five outs to earn his fourth save of the season. Matt Harris got stuck with the loss for the Colonels.
 
Eastern Kentucky (7-14, 0-1 OVC) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Jacob Daniel scored on a sacrifice fly, but the Gamecocks (7-14, 1-0) answered in the top of the third inning.
 
Cal Lambert walked to lead off the inning and moved to third on Kyle Stone's double to left field. Lambert then scored on Coty Blanchard's sacrifice fly to left field and Stone scored when Scott Underwood singled to left field as the Gamecocks took a 2-1 lead.
 
The Colonels tied the game in the fifth inning after Demetrius Moorer led off with a double and later scored on an Austin Grisham sacrifice fly to make the score 2-2.
 
Jax State took the lead for good in the eighth inning after Adam Miller reached on an error and Michael Bishop came in to pinch run. Blanchard followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Bishop to second and Underwood followed with a RBI single to left field to score Bishop. Kyle Bluestein then followed with a RBI double to left field to score Underwood for the final margin.
 
Sam Eberle also had a pair of hits, while Underwood extended his hitting streak to seven games with his two hits to lead the Gamecocks. Richie Rodriguez had three hits to lead the Colonels.
 
The two teams will play the second game of the three-game series on Saturday, with the Gamecocks throwing Daniel Watts (1-3, 8.28 ERA). Game time is set for 1 p.m. and the game can be heard on the JSU Gamecock Sports Network with Mike Parris.