BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A seven-run third inning for Jacksonville State and a career day on the mound for sophomore Derrick Adams highlighted a 9-5 series-clinching Sunday win over Western Kentucky.

The Gamecocks, in a midst of an 11-game road trip, have claimed the first two weekends to start the season with a win at WKU's Nick Denes Field.  Both of JSU's series wins have come against Conference USA foes as it opened the season with a pair of wins over Florida International and the two wins in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  Jax State opened the series with a 3-2 decision over the Hilltoppers before WKU evened the weekend set on Saturday, 14-4.  JSU has won two consecutive series against WKU after collecting a sweep last season in Jacksonville.

Adams, a sophomore from Huntsville, Alabama, had a career outing against the Hilltoppers.  The left hander went a career-long six innings on the mound and established a new career high in strikeouts with 10 on Sunday.  His previous mark was six which was set last season against South Alabama last May.  Adams allowed just one run on two Hilltopper hits in the outing.  After allowing WKU to equalize with a run in the second and the Gamecocks responding with seven runs on five hits to take an 8-1 lead, Adams mowed down the next 12 Hilltoppers.  WKU did not get its second hit of the day until a two-out single by Kaleb Duckworth.

JSU, who used three pitchers out of the bullpen to wrap up the final three innings, combined for 15 strikeouts, which is the most for the Gamecocks since they fanned 16 against Troy last season in a 16-inning contest.

After WKU knotted the contest at 1-1 in the second inning, JSU strung together five hits and took advantage of a pair of WKU walks.  With the bases loaded, junior Trent Simpson singled to centerfield to give JSU a 2-1 lead – a lead that would quickly expand to with an RBI single by Hayden White and a two RBI base hit by Josh Bobo.  Senior Peyton Williams added an RBI in the frame with a sacrifice fly to center.  Junior Nolan Greckel closed out the scoring in the inning with a single that plated a pair of runs.

Bobo finished the weekend against WKU 6-for-13 and a trio of RBI and scored three runs.  He put together back-to-back multiple hit games in the series.  Greckel, from Acworth, Georgia, had another solid day at the plate with a pair of hits.  Junior Clayton Daniel tallied a three-hit day and has now put together a 15-game hitting streak that dates back to the 2016 season.
JSU added its final run of the contest in the seventh as Williams registered his second run-producing hit with a single to left field.

Senior Joe McGuire came in relief of Adams and was touched for four runs in the seventh by WKU.  The Hilltoppers made things closer with the four-run inning that was sparked by a two-run home run by pinch hitter Wyatt Featherston.

Jax State used freshman Tyler Wilburn to finish the seventh and record the first two outs of the eighth before Simpson closed things down.  Wilburn and Simpson carded a pair of strikeouts in their respective outing.  Simpson picked up his first JSU save after getting the final out in the eighth and a quick ninth.

The Gamecocks continue the season-opening road trip with a visit to Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. contest with the Crimson Tide of Alabama.  JSU's first midweek action will be streamed on the SEC Network +/ESPN3, the online platform of the SEC Network.