JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State caught fire early on opening day as JSU scored six runs in the first inning en route to a 13-1 win over Youngstown State on a frigid Friday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field.

The win was JSU's second-straight season-opening win after taking down Northwestern State to open the 2014 season.  The 13 runs scored is the most since posting 11 in the 2010 season debut in a setback to Michigan in the Red Raider Classic in Lubbock, Texas.

The Gamecocks shook off the low temperatures with their early offensive numbers and took advantage of YSU starter Kevin Yarabinec ineffectiveness on the hill after being the Penguins' closer last season.   Senior Ryan Sebra, who also tossed 2.2 innings of work in the win, highlighted JSU's first frame with a single up the middle to plate a pair of runs.  Junior Tyler Gamble and freshman Taylor Hawthorne recorded an RBI in the first inning.

JSU had four newcomers in Friday's opening day line up and all four contributed throughout the game.  Daniel Clayton, a freshman from Guntersville, Alabama, joined junior Paschal Petrongolo with three hits each.  Clayton, who started at second base for the Gamecocks, went 3-for-5 in the contest with three runs driven in.  He drove in two in JSU's two-run fourth to extend the lead out to 6-0.  Petrongolo's big hit came in the home half of the seventh with a three-run blast to center.  Junior transfer Elliott McCummings added a pair of hits and plated a run in his Gamecock debut.

The Gamecocks belted 15 hits off of YSU pitching, which is the most hits turned in by JSU since its contest with Eastern Illinois in the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

It wasn't just a solid opener for the offense as the Gamecocks' pitching limited the Penguins to four hits.  JSU Head Coach Jim Case gave senior Zachary Fowler the starting nod in the opener and he turned in a quality start.  The Daphne, Alabama righthander threw five scoreless innings and tallied four strikeouts and no free passes.  After YSU's Frank Califano singled to right and erased by a double play that was started by Fowler, the Penguins would be handcuffed as he would set down the next 14 batters he faced.  Sebra came in relief of Fowler in the sixth and allowed YSU's lone run in that frame.  Redshirt freshman Justin Hoyt finished out the contest and recorded a trio of strike outs.

The two teams will finish the season opening three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader at 12 p.m.  The first game of the twinbill will be carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.  Both games will be available via live stats at JSUGamecockSports.com.