MURRAY, Ky. – Junior Dalton Etheridge picked a perfect time to hit his first career home run as he delivered a two-run home run in the 11^th to lift Jacksonville State past Murray State, 7-5, on Friday evening at Reagan Field in the opening game of the Ohio Valley Conference weekend series.

The win moved the Gamecocks to 13-10 overall and their third consecutive conference win (3-4).  The Racers dropped to 14-11 on the season and 5-5 in league play.  The two clubs will face off in game two of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.  The game will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network and streamed on the OVC Digital Network.

Etheridge, from Jonesboro, Georgia, was inserted in to the centerfield spot after JSU rallied from a 3-0 deficit to equalize with a three-run top of the seventh.  In his second at bat, he connected on a 3-2 pitch that sent over the left field wall and break up a 5-5 extra-inning deadlock.  It was his second extra base hit of the night as he recorded a double in the ninth. 

The contest was sent to extra frames after the Racers erased a 5-3 deficit in the final half of the ninth.  MSU scored the game-tying run on Brandon Gutzler's RBI single off of JSU closer Justin Hoyt.  Hoyt's services were called upon in the Racer eighth as they threatened after putting the first two batters on base, but the redshirt-junior thwarted the attempt.  Hoyt would finish the contest on the mound for JSU as he would match his career high in innings pitched with the final four innings.  He tossed the final four innings in JSU's win over Eastern Illinois earlier this season.  Hoyt finished with four strike outs on the night.  He earned his third win of the season and the fifth of his career.

Hoyt took over for junior Grant Chandler, who was in line for the win before MSU's two-run ninth.  Chandler was the first pitcher out of the bullpen for Jax State as starter Derrick Adams went 5.2 innings. After the Racers touched Adams for a pair of runs in the first inning, the Decatur, Alabama left hander settled in over the next five-plus innings.  He finished with five strike outs in the outing.  He left the contest after allowing the first three runs of the contest.

For the second consecutive Friday, the Gamecock offense started clicking in the seventh inning.  Last Friday at Southern Illinois, JSU erupted for seven runs to overcome a deficit.  Against the Racers, JSU started to solve MSU starter, Ryan Dills.  Dills was solid for the second consecutive year against JSU.  He was the winning pitcher in MSU's Sunday win last year in Jacksonville.  He looked like he might get another win in his start.  He limited JSU to four hits in 6.1 innings of work and posted six strike outs.

JSU's three-run seventh started with a one-out double by junior Trent Simpson and moved to third on a Racer passed ball.  Following a walk by Hayden White, freshman Andrew Naismith drove in his first of two runs on the night with a single through the right side of the diamond.  Senior Joe McGuire, one of JSU's top-go-to-guy in a pinch hitting role, walked to load the bases.  After Dills was relieved from the mound, Chase Robinson was greeted by Chance Carner with a hit by pitch RBI.  Freshman Payton Young lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate the third run of the frame.

With momentum, the Gamecocks took the lead on White's RBI ground out in the eighth.  Naismith pushed the lead to 5-3 with a single to left field.  Etheridge, Naismith and Clayton Daniel were the two Gamecocks with multiple hits in the contest.

JSU will send junior Colton Pate to the mound on Saturday, while MSU will counter with Austin Dubsky.