FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – Brandon Elliott had a pair of hits, including a three-run home run, to lead Murray State to a 5-4 win over Jacksonville State in the first game of a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Rudy Abbott Field on Friday.
 
Will Handlin (4-3) scattered six hits and had four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win for the 'Breds. JSU's Aaron Elias (2-4) gave up nine hits and all five runs to suffer the loss for the Gamecocks.
 
Murray State (19-20, 5-8 OVC) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a RBI single by Brandon Essenschwiler and then extended the lead in the fifth inning.
 
Essenschwiler drove in his second run of the game with a RBI single to center field before Elliott hit his second home run of the year to give the 'Breds a 5-0 lead.
 
Jax State (14-22, 8-5) scored three runs in the home half of the fifth inning after Scott Underwood scored on a sacrifice fly and Ben Waldrip then hit his 10^th home run of the year with a two-run shot to cut the lead to 5-3.
 
The Gamecocks plated a run in the sixth inning after Kyle Stone scored on a sacrifice fly to cut the Murray lead to 5-4.
 
Jacksonville State had a chance to tie the game in the ninth inning after Underwood led off with a single and moved to second on a Murray throwing error. Kyle Bluestein had a two-out single to right field, but Murray's Colton Speed threw out Underwood at the plate to end the game.
 
Michael Bishop and Stone each had a pair of hits to lead the Gamecocks,while Waldrip extended his team-high hitting streak to 12 games. Murray State was led by Travis Isaak, Essenschwiller and Elliott with three hits each.
 
The two teams will play the second game of the series on Saturday. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field and the game will be heard on the JSU Radio Network.