OXFORD – Jacksonville State scored 10 unanswered runs in the first game of the doubleheader with Morehead to claim the series opener, 10-3, to highlight the day at Choccolocco Park on Saturday.

The Eagles bounced back in the night cap with an 11-8 decision to even the series and force a series-deciding rubber game on Sunday at 1 p.m.  After the two games, the Gamecocks moved to 24-20 overall and 11-12 in Ohio Valley Conference play.  MSU now stands at 29-17 on the season and 13-8 in the league play.

Sophomore catcher and infielder Nic Gaddis powered the Jax State lineup in both games against the Eagles as the Trenton, Georgia native turned in a 5-for-9 day at the plate and drove in six runs.  Gaddis' big hit of the day was a fourth inning grand slam that gave the Gamecocks a 5-3 lead – a lead that they would not rescind the rest of the way.  Gaddis, who was behind the plate in the opening contest added another extra base hit in JSU's four-run fourth inning with a two-RBI double that gave his club some breathing room with a 9-3 lead.  Gaddis moved to third base in the second game and collected three hits and scored a run.

Freshman Andrew Naismith finished the day with three big hits, highlighted by his eighth home run of the year in the fourth inning.  The Auburn, Alabama first baseman had a pair of RBI in the first game and reached base five times on Saturday.  Junior Clayton Daniel combined for three hits on the day, including his 23^rd multiple hit game of the season with a pair of hits in the setback.  He now has 71 career games with multiple hits.

While the offense combined for 20 hits on the day, the Gamecock pitching staff was able to limit the MSU offense in the opening game.  The Eagles, one of the top hitting team in NCAA Division I Baseball had eight hits in the first game off of JSU starter Derrick Adams and junior Grant Chandler combined.  Adams, who went six innings had another high strikeout performance with eight in the outing and allowed four free passes.  The Decatur, Alabama left hander allowed all of the MSU runs in the fourth.  Chandler finished the final three frames, allowing just one hit and striking out a pair.  He registered his first save of the season with his three innings of work.

In the second game, JSU played from behind early again as MSU posted three runs in the first inning and survived a Gamecock rally.  The Gamecocks had a three-run fifth to get within striking distance at 7-5.  The inning was aided by a pair of Eagle miscues, while the Oxford, Alabama duo of Trent Simpson and Joe McGuire had an RBI each.  The Eagles responded with a three spot in the sixth to extend the lead to 10-5.  JSU trimmed the deficit to 11-8 with three runs in the eighth on five hits, including a pair of doubles by Naismith and Matthew Hammers.

Eagle starter, Jake Ziegelmeyer, making his first start in the weekend rotation, went five innings for the win before handing over the pitching duties to Curtis Wilson for the next four innings.

Tickets for Sunday's contest are available at JSUGamecockSports.com.  All JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger get in to Choccolocco Park free.  The game will be carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.