JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State broke open a 1-1 deadlock with a five-run sixth to register its fourth straight win and 10^th overall with an 8-3 decision over Oral Roberts on Tuesday evening at Rudy Abbott Field.

The Gamecocks, who opened Ohio Valley Conference play last weekend with a three-game sweep at SIU Edwardsville, moved to 10-5 on the season and now turns their attention to the first conference weekend at Rudy Abbott Field as Austin Peay will visit Jacksonville beginning on Friday, March 18 at 6 p.m.  The Golden Eagles fell to 7-8 overall and exits the state of Alabama with a 1-3 mark after dropping a pair of games to Auburn last weekend.

ORU struck first with a run in the opening frame as Rolando Martinez delivered a triple into the right field corner, scoring Nick Roark.  After the first, JSU starter Colton Campbell settled in and went 4.0 innings and did not allow another run.  The Rainsville, Alabama righty allowed three other hits outside the first inning triple and turned in three strike outs.

Tuesday's contest was a mirror image of JSU's season through the first 15 games of the season as it has battled back from behind and delivered RBIs with two outs.  The Gamecocks squared the game at 1-all in the second with a two-out run in the frame.  After ORU starter Josh McMinn picked up two quick outs, it was a lengthy at bat for Elliot McCummings that resulted in a walk.  Sophomore Taylor Hawthorne belted a triple to the left center gap, pushing McCummings across the plate for the first run of the contest.  Hawthorne has now posted a triple in each of the last three games.  The Prattville, Alabama shortstop would give JSU the lead with the first of five runs in the sixth with an RBI out.

JSU's bullpen clipped the Golden Eagles' offense for six innings as Nate Sylvester and Garrett Farmer combined for three scoreless innings and limiting ORU to just a pair of hits.  Farmer collected his second win of the season with his 1.1 innings of work and on the record as JSU took the lead in the sixth.

Back-to-back singles by Tyler Gamble and Hayden White opened the door for a big inning for the Gamecocks as Gamble scored on Hawthorne's play for the second out of the inning.  With two outs, JSU would add three more runs after a triple by A.J. Reynolds and a pair of miscues by ORU.  ORU balked home a run and allowed the final run of the frame on a wild pitch.

After being limited to one run and two hits through the first five innings, JSU finished the final three plate appearances with six hits and seven runs.  The Gamecocks extended the lead to 8-1 in the seventh with another two-out, two-run single by Ty Pierce.  Jax State has collected 44 RBI with two outs this season.

Junior Josh Bobo led JSU at the plate with a pair of hits, including double in the five-run sixth.

ORU added a two-run home run by Nick Rotola in the eighth inning.

JSU and APSU will begin the key OVC series on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a pair of 1 p.m. contests on Saturday and Sunday respectively.  All three games will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network.  Admission to all JSU baseball games is free to all Jax State students and kids 18 and under.