NASHVILLE – Jacksonville State established a new program record with 30 hits en route to a 26-11 thumping of Belmont to claim the Ohio Valley Conference series at E.S. Rose Park in the Music City.

The Gamecocks have now won the last six OVC road series dating back to the final two road weekends of the 2015 season.  JSU improved to 28-14 on the season and 16-4 in OVC play.  The Bruins dropped to 24-19 overall and 11-9 against OVC foes.  The two clubs will close out the three-game weekend series with a 1 p.m. contest.  JSU will be looking for its third OVC sweep of the season after taking all three games at SIU Edwardsville and at Eastern Illinois.  For the first time since joining the OVC, Jax State has three 20-plus run games under its belt this season.

The Gamecocks set the offensive tone early after a pitchers duel on Friday night in a 4-2 Jax State win.  JSU's previous record for hits in a single game was 29 against Alabama A&M on March 25, 2003.  Mixed in with the program record 30 hits, JSU matched the program's record for doubles in a single contest with 10 in a game.  The 30 hits in a single game ranks third-best this season in NCAA Division I Baseball, right behind Southeast Missouri's 31 hits versus UT Martin.  JSU neared the single game record for runs in a game as it was two shy of matching the 28 runs scored in that same AAMU contest and versus Valdosta State in 1990 during the program's NCAA Division II days. 

Leading the way for the Gamecocks was senior outfielder Gavin Golsan, who broke JSU's single game record for hits with a 7-for-7 day at the dish.  Golsan's day began with a leadoff single that started a five-run first inning for Jax State.  The Trussville, Alabama-native had another base hit in the second and followed that with a single in the third.  He recorded his first of two extra base hits on the day with a double down the left field line to score a pair of runs.  His fifth hit was an RBI single in the fifth.  He tied the program record for hits in a game with a solo home run in the sixth.  It was his third home run of his career and the second of the season.  In his final at-bat in the eighth, Golsan delivered a single to left field to put his name in the single game record book.
Golsan's seven hits broke a record that was held by three different former Gamecocks.  Former Gamecock Nick Cleckler tallied six hits against UT Martin on May 14, 2006.  That same feat was accomplished by Mike Garner versus Xavier in 1997 and Todd Mixon versus Valdosta State in 1990.  His seven hits also is the most by an OVC player this season, bettering the six hits by SEMO's Branden Boggetto's six hits against UT Martin earlier this season.  He matched Sam Houston State's Clayton Harp's mark this season for most hits in a single game. 

Golsan finished with a career-best five RBI and scored six times in the contest, matching another record in JSU's record book.  His six runs-scored tied former JSU standout John Stratton's mark of six runs scored against Southern Tech in 1993.  His six times across the plate is a new standard at JSU for the NCAA Division I era.

JSU's lineup pummeled Bruin pitching as every Gamecock hitter recorded at least one hit on the game and nine different Gamecocks had an RBI.  Senior Tyler Gamble had a 4-for-5 day, including a towering three-run home run in the eighth.  Senior Elliot McCummings, juniors Josh Bobo and A.J. Reynolds had three hits each. Senior Paschal Petrongolo finished with a pair of hits.  As a team JSU turned in 10 doubles, which matches a JSU single game record for doubles in a contest.  Jax State collected 10 doubles in that 29-hit performance versus AAMU. 
The Gamecocks actually trailed in the contest after the Bruins responded with a six-run second inning to take the lead.  JSU answered with 11 runs combined in the third and fourth to take a 16-7 lead after four innings.  JSU put together another six spot in the fifth and added a run in the sixth to extend the lead to 23-7.  Belmont would plate four runs in the seventh to reach double figures in runs at 11.

Lost in the offensive numbers was a solid relief outing by sophomore Grant Chandler.  After Colton Pate got the Saturday start, he last just 1.2 innings before Chandler was summoned from the JSU bullpen.  The Madison, Alabama-product went 3.2 innings and struck out four in the outing.  Chandler had a pair of shutdown innings after JSU took the lead.  Michael McCreless finished the final 3.2 innings and allowed just one run.

BU's Connor Etheridge was saddled with the loss after surrendering six runs on eight hits in just 2.1 innings.

Sunday;s contest will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network and streamed on the OVC Digital Network.