MARTIN, Tenn. – Jacksonville State posted a five-run second inning and fended off a UT Martin rally the rest of the way to claim a 5-4 win in the opening game of the Ohio Valley Conference road series at Skyhawk Field on Friday night.

With the regular season winding down and postseason tournament jockeying throughout the OVC, the Gamecocks moved to 13-12 in the league and pushed their overall record to 26-22.  UTM, also battling to make a postseason run fell to 23-26 overall and 10-15 in OVC play.

JSU used the long ball in the big run-scoring second as senior Peyton Williams delivered the first big blow with a two-out three-run home run that sailed over the scoreboard in left field.  Williams, who was inserted in to the lineup after the first inning, collected his second home run of the season and just the sixth of his career.  Ironically, the last time JSU visited the West Tennessee town of Martin, Tennessee, the Opelika, Alabama outfielder tallied his first career home run at the same ballpark.  His first round tripper of the 2017 season came during the opening weekend of the season at Florida International.  Williams plated senior A.J. Williams and freshman Chase Robinson, who reached on a single and walk respectively.

After UTM starter Winston Cannon walked Clayton Daniel, the third Gamecock to get a free pass in the frame, junior Taylor Hawthorne sent a 2-0 pitch from Cannon over the right field wall.  It was Hawthorne's second home run of the season and the second time this season that Jax State has had multiple home runs in a single inning this year.  JSU had multiple dingers against Southeast Missouri on April 15.

Cannon (4-4) would pick up the loss after allowing the five runs and giving up all nine of JSU's hits in the contest.  Cannon went the first six innings before Kyle Laberge tossed the final three frames.

JSU's Friday night starter Derrick Adams (6-2) once again battled through another series-opening contest.  The Decatur, Alabama left hander worked around trouble throughout most of his 5.1 innings on the mound.  UTM had the leadoff man reach five of the first six innings.  Adams was able to limit UTM to a run in the bottom of the second after JSU put up its five runs.  The Skyhawks plated a run in the third and added two runs in the sixth.  Adams was touched for seven hits and he fanned four Skyhawks in his 100 pitch performance.

Junior Grant Chandler came in relief for the next 2.2 innings and nursed the JSU lead.  UTM had the tying run in scoring position in sixth and the eighth against the Madison, Alabama native.  Chandler retired the Skyhawks in order for the first time on Friday night in the seventh.  He induced an inning-ending fly ball out to centerfield with the tying run at third.  The teams combined to strand 14 base runners throughout the contest.

Redshirt-junior Justin Hoyt was summoned to close the deal in the ninth and the Birmingham, Alabama left hander struck out two of the three UTM batters he faced.  The save was his seventh of the season and third against OVC competition.

Hawthorne and Andrew Naismith led the Gamecocks at the plate with two hits each.  With his two hits on Friday, Hawthorne now has 11 multiple hit games this season and pushed his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games.  Hawthorne's streak is one behind Daniel's string of 13 straight games with a hit. The Guntersville, Alabama second baseman has a nine-game hitting streak in OVC games-only and has reached base in 23 straight OVC games.

JSU will look to claim the series on Saturday with a 3 p.m. contest with UTM in game two of the weekend set.  The Skyhawks will honor their seniors prior to the start of the contest.  The game is scheduled be available on the OVC Digital Network.