MARTIN, Tenn. – Jacksonville State began the crucial Ohio Valley Conference series with UT Martin with a solid 14-2 win on Thursday evening at Skyhawk Field.

The Gamecocks, needing at least two wins on the final weekend of the regular season to earn their 12^th trip to the league's postseason tournament next week down the road in Jackson, Tennessee, moved to 14-14 overall in OVC play and improved to 28-25 on the season.  UTM fell to 17-34 overall and 9-19 against the OVC.  JSU will look to clinch the series and a spot in the OVC Tournament on Friday as the two teams will finish the three-game series with a twinbill, beginning at 2 p.m.  The altered schedule is due to the forecast for heavy rains in West Tennessee on Saturday.

JSU jumped on the scoreboard early with two runs off of UTM starter Taylor Douglas, who was making his first appearance in OVC play.  Freshman Clayton Daniel singled through the right side to plate Gavin Golsan, who led off the game with Douglas' first of three walks in the frame.  Golsan moved in to scoring position with his first of two steals on the night.  The Trussville, Alabama-speedster swiped his 36^th base of the season, which gives him the program's single season mark for stolen bases.  Senior Ryan Sebra added the second RBI of the frame with a sacrifice fly to left field.

After UTM's Douglas touched senior right hander Zachary Fowler with a solo home run to right center, Fowler went on to throw a gem with seven innings of work and allowed just two runs in his night's work. The Daphne, Alabama-native turned in six strikeouts and walked just a pair.  Fowler picked up his eighth win of the season, which is the most by any pitcher in the OVC.  The win was his sixth against league competition this season. 

The JSU offense aided Fowler in the second inning with another pair of runs.  Daniel, who has been clutch driving in 27 runs with two outs this season, had his second of three hits of the contest to drive in Hayden White.  He drove in his third run of the game on a double in the ninth.  Junior Paschal Petrongolo had the second RBI of the inning. 
White broke open the 4-1 contest in the fifth as a Skyhawk fielding error opened the door for Jax State to take advantage of the miscue as White delivered with a three-run blast over the right field wall.  It was White's sixth home run of the season and his fourth off league pitching.  White was one of four Gamecocks with multiple hits.  Junior
Paul Angel and Daniel led JSU's 15-hit barrage with three hits each, followed by Taylor Hawthorne's pair of hits.
JSU expanded the lead in the sixth on Angel's two-out double to the gap in left to plate Petrongolo and Tyler Gamble. Both reached base with singles up the middle.  Gamble moved in to the program's record book with his pair of walks as he now is the single season leader for walks in a campaign.  He broke former Gamecock John Thomas' mark of 48 during the 1995 season.

The Gamecocks plated five runs on four hits in their final at bat, which was highlighted by sophomore Peyton Williams first career home run.

Both games on Friday will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network with air time for the first game is set for 1:45 p.m.