FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – Ben Waldrip had three hits and drove in a pair of runs to lead Jacksonville State to a 7-2 win over Murray State as the Gamecocks claimed their seventh straight Ohio Valley Conference series.
 
Tanner Freshour (3-0) scattered one hit over three innings to earn the win after he came in relief of Travis Stout, who was making second career and first against an OVC opponent. Stout went 4 2/3 innings and allowed just three hits with three strikeouts. Murray's Bryan Babin (3-3) gave up five hits and four runs to suffer the loss for the 'Breds.
 
Jax State (16-22, 10-5 OVC) took the early lead after scoring three runs in the second inning. Waldrip led off the inning with a double to right field to extend his hitting streak to a career-best 14 games and moved to third after Kyle Bluestein singled up the middle.
 
Erik Underwood followed with a single to score Waldrip and Bluestein later scored on a wild pitch to give JSU a 2-0 lead. Underwood then scored on a Kyle Stone sacrifice fly to give the Gamecocks the early advantage.
 
Jax State tacked on a run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Bluestein, then Coty Blanchard singled in a run in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 5-0.
 
Murray State's Colton Speed hit a one-out solo home run over the right field fence to cut the lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning, but Waldrip slugged his 11th home run of the season with a two-run shot in the seventh inning to give the Gamecocks a 7-1 lead.
 
The 'Breds added a run in the eighth inning on a RIB single by Brandon Elliott for the final margin.
 
Waldrip finished with three hits, while Stone added a pair of hits to lead the Gamecocks, while Elliott had two hits to lead Murray State.
 
Jacksonville State returns to action with a three-game OVC series at Austin Peay next weekend. Friday's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be heard on the JSU Radio Network.