MONTGOMERY – The Jacksonville State dropped a 9-4 midweek decision to Alabama State on Tuesday night at ASU's Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
The Gamecocks dropped to 25-21 overall on the season and will turn their attention to their final Ohio Valley Conference road trip, visiting Martin, Tennessee to face the Skyhawks of UT Martin. The series will get started on Friday at 6 p.m. from Skyhawk Field. The Hornets improved to 28-23 overall and claimed all three contests against JSU this season. ASU posted a pair of one-run wins over Jax State earlier in the season.
ASU scored six runs in the first three innings combined and starter Patrick Coffin limited JSU to four hits in the first six innings. Coffin retired 10 straight Gamecocks before freshman
Chase Robinson's one-out base hit in the six snapped that string. Coffin allowed all four JSU runs and was touched for 10 hits and had 11 strikeouts in a complete game performance.
The Hornets' offense was aided by the long ball, including a pair of solo home runs by ASU's Hunter Allen. Allen delivered a home run in the third and added his second of the night in the sixth. Gustavo Rios homered in the home half of the fifth. ASU touched JSU
Michael McCreless for six runs on four hits in 2.1 innings worked. McCreless fanned three and walked a pair. McCreless, who was saddled with the loss, was one of five pitchers used in the contest.
Trailing 7-0 after five innings, sophomore
Nic Gaddis collected his second home run in the last four games with a two-run home run over the left field wall in the sixth for the first runs of the night. The Trenton, Georgia third baseman had grand slam in the first game of the Saturday twinbill against Morehead State. It was fourth of season for Gaddis.
His home run sparked the JSU offense as JSU added a pair of runs in the seventh as freshman
Chase Robinson crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Robinson, who had a pair of hits for JSU, was pushed to third base on
Clayton Daniel's double down the left field line. The double extended Daniel's hitting streak to 12 consecutive games, the longest one of the season by a Gamecock. Junior
Taylor Hawthorne followed Daniel with an RBI double. Hawthorne had a 3-for-4 night at the plate. The Prattville, Alabama native had a pair of singles before the double.
Trent Simpson,
Andrew Naismith and
Hayden White all had hits in the contest.
The Gamecocks and Skyhawks will begin the OVC weekend series at 6 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be available on Gamecock Sports Network.
