HUNTSVILLE – Alabama A&M scored a pair of run in the first three innings en route to edging Jacksonville State 6-4 on Tuesday afternoon at Bulldog Field.

The two in-state teams were meeting for the first time since 2003 and the first time this season as the Gamecocks and Bulldogs were scheduled to play at Rudy Abbott Field earlier in the season, but that game was washed out.  JSU, who entered the midweek matchup having won four of its last five, dropped to 23-21 on the season.  AAMU, who has already set the program's record for wins in its NCAA Division I era, improved to 25-24 on the year.

Both squads started strong offensively as nine of the 10 runs scored in the contest came in the first three innings.  JSU jumped on the scoreboard in the first with back-to-back doubles by Paschal Petrongolo and Tyler Gamble.  With the field playing short with a steady wind blowing out, the Bulldogs belted a two-run home run off the bat of Andrew Utterback.  Utterback, the designated hitter was 2-for-4 on the day and came in to pick up his sixth save of the year in the ninth.

AAMU expanded the lead to 4-1 in the second after an RBI single by Patrick Dodson, followed by Ben Lott's second of three doubles on the day for him.  He paced the Maroon and White lineup with three hits. 

JSU responded with a home run of its own in the third as Petrongolo recorded his fifth homerun of the season with a deep shot to center, scoring Clayton Daniel, who reached on a double to left.  JSU finished with 12 hits in the contest and half of those hits were for extra bases.

The Bulldogs added their final two runs in the third as Julio Nunez delivered a leadoff home run, followed by an RBI single from Dustin Dhanani.

The Gamecock pitching staff settled in after the first three innings to hold the Bulldogs scoreless the rest of the day.  Freshman Jack Pierce was saddled with the loss after making his sixth start of the day.  Freshman Grant Chandler, who played at Bob Jones High School in the Huntsville area, saw action on the hill in relief.  Colton Cambell, Michael McCreless, also a local product and Travis Stout pitched in the contest.

JSU junior right fielder Elliot McCummings was a perfect 4-for-4 at the dish, including a double.  Gamble and Petrongolo were the only other Gamecock hitters with multiple hits in the contest.  Junior Paul Angel led off the eighth with a solo home run to trim the lead to 6-4.

Jax State returns to action this weekend with a crucial Ohio Valley Conference weekend on the road.  JSU will travel to Richmond, Kentucky to face off with the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky.  Both teams are fighting to get one of the six conference tournament bids.  The series gets underway on Friday at 5 p.m. CST.