RICHMOND, Ky. – Jacksonville State was looking to complete the Ohio Valley Conference weekend sweep of Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, but the Colonels exploded for 10 runs in the fourth inning to salvage the final game of the series, 10-7, at EKU's Turkey Hughes Field.
The loss drops JSU to 22-19 overall and 10-11 in the OVC after the trip to Kentucky. EKU moved to 22-22 on the season and 8-13 in conference play. JSU will remain on the road for a midweek set against Alabama State on Tuesday and Troy on Wednesday. The Gamecocks will host the Eagles of Morehead State next weekend in OVC action at Choccolocco Park.
EKU erased a 3-0 deficit in the fourth after sending 15 batters to the plate as the hitting became contagious with nine total hits, including a solo home run by Ben Fisher to start the big inning and the highlight of the inning was a three-run home run by Alex Holderbach. The Colonels forced a quick exit for JSU starter
Joe McGuire, who suffered his first loss of the season after stringing together six straight wins since entering the weekend rotation. The Oxford, Alabama right hander held EKU hitless through the first three innings, but also allowed three walks in the loss. Freshman
Corley Woods followed McGuire and was touched for the other five runs in the frame.
The Jax State arms of
Tyler Wilburn,
Grant Chandler and
Michael McCreless held EKU scoreless the rest of the way and scattered four hits among the trio of relievers. Chandler and McCreless combined for six strikeouts in the last three innings.
The Gamecocks, after falling behind in the previous two games on the weekend, but rallied to win the first two, got off to a great start with a three-run first inning. Junior
Taylor Hawthorne, who has been sidelined for the past three weeks, saw his first action since April 9. He delivered the first RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly. Sophomore
Nic Gaddis collected two more RBI with another two-out, two-RBI single. Gaddis finished the weekend with three big hits in each of the three games versus EKU. His two-run home run was the difference in JSU's 3-1 win and he gave the Gamecocks a 5-4 lead in the ninth on Saturday. He tallied six RBI on the weekend and scored a run.
After struggling in the first, EKU starter Bryan Quillens would hold the Gamecocks scoreless over his next three frames. He was one of right EKU arms used in the win as Taylor Blair was the beneficiary of the EKU fourth inning. Blair posted his first win of the season.
JSU started to claw back in to the contest with solo runs in the fifth and the sixth. Freshman
Andrew Naismith recorded his first of three RBI on the day with a single in the fifth. Freshman
Chase Robinson started the sixth with a solo home run. Naismith, who finished the day 2-for-4, brought the Gamecocks within three in the ninth with a two-run home run. He joined
Clayton Daniel and
A.J. Reynolds as the three Gamecocks who had multiple hits in the setback.
JSU, who dropped a 6-5 decision to ASU earlier this season, will look to even the season series with the Hornets. First pitch from the Wheeler Watkins Complex in Montgomery is set for 6 p.m. The game will be carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
