FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – Daniel Watts had a career-high 11 strikeouts to lead Jacksonville State to a 5-2 win over Kennesaw State in the final game of the three-game series on Sunday at Rudy Abbott Field.
 
Watts (1-1) scattered four hits and gave up just two runs in seven solid innings on the mound to earn his first win of the year. Cody Ponder recorded the final out to earn his first save of the year. Kevin Kyle (0-1) gave up six hits and three runs to suffer the loss for the Owls.
 
Kennesaw State jumped out to the early lead on a RBI single by Ronnie Freeman and a sacrifice fly by Andy Chriscaden as the Owls took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
 
JSU scored a run in the fourth inning after Ben Waldrip hit a solo home run to right center, which was his third home run over the last two days.
 
The Gamecocks then took the lead in the sixth inning after Waldrip reached on a one-out single and Kyle Bluestein hit a two-run home run to center field to give JSU a 3-2 lead.
 
Jacksonville State added a run in the seventh on an Erik Underwood solo home run and Adam Miller scored in the bottom of the eighth inning on a KSU error for the final margin.
 
Bluestein finished the day 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and Waldrip had a pair of hits to lead the Gamecocks.
 
Jax State returns to action on Wednesday in Birmingham against Samford. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.