MONTGOMERY – For the second time this season, the Jacksonville State baseball team dropped a one-run decision to in-state foe Alabama State on Tuesday night as the Hornets held off the Gamecocks at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

The loss drops JSU to 22-20 overall and have dropped six of the last seven to ASU.  The Gamecocks will be looking to gain a midweek split on Wednesday as they will face longtime rival Troy at 6 p.m.  The Hornets improved to 24-22 on the season.

ASU scored all four of its runs in the first four innings and fended off Jax State in the middle frames.  ASU's Joseph Estrada put the Hornets on the scoreboard with a leadoff home run in the first inning.  After the solo run, JSU starter Cody Dodd settled in and in to the fourth until he ran in to trouble in that frame.  The inning started with a leadoff walk, followed by a double just inside the third base bag.  Chris Bioci and Carlos Estrada pushed two runs across the plate with a ground ball out and a sacrifice fly ball respectively.  A throwing miscue by JSU left the door open for the Hornets and they added the third run of the frame on an RBI single by Joshua Dunson.

After the fourth, the Gamecocks' bullpen did not allow an ASU hit until the eighth.  Senior Nate Sylvester, the second pitcher of the night went three innings and did not allow a hit, but issued three of JSU's six walks on the night.  Junior Grant Chandler finished off the final 1.1 innings and walked a pair.  JSU's pitchers accounted for eight strikeouts on the night.

ASU starter Brandon Caples kept the Gamecocks off-balanced for the first four innings, but ran in to trouble in the fifth.  Sophomore Nic Gaddis recorded the first RBI of the night with a single to left field, scoring Trent Simpson, who started the inning with a single to center field.  Simpson was the only Gamecocks with multiple hits in the game.  Andrew Naismith was the second of four hits by the Gamecocks in the frame with a single to right field.  He would eventually score on junior Hayden White's RBI double.

JSU added its final run of the night in the sixth on senior A.J. Reynolds' RBI ground out.  The Gamecocks were primed to equalize and take the lead after back-to-back walks to load the bases with two outs, but ASU thwarted the threat with an inning-ending ground ball.

The Gamecocks, who out-hit the Hornets, 8-6, tallied all eight hits off of Caples.  The ASU bullpen held JSU without a hit for the final three innings.  Austin Bizzle collected his fourth save of the night, while Caples moved to 3-4 on the season.  Dodd was saddled with the loss and dropped to 2-2.

Wednesday's 6 p.m. duel with the Trojans at Riddle-Pace Field will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network.