OXFORD, Ala. – Jacksonville State has used the long ball in the first two games of the season at Choccolocco Park and the fourth one in two days lifted JSU to a 10-9 come-from-behind win over Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon.

Senior Taylor Hawthorne delivered the game-winner with a three-run home run that was wind-aided on a breezy day at Choccolocco Park.  Hawthorne's 12^th home run of his career capped off a second comeback for the Gamecocks (2-0) after they erased a five-run deficit in the seventh with a five-run inning to match the Salukis (0-2) at 7-7.  SIU responded with a one-out single with the bases loaded to regain the lead, 9-7, in the eighth.

Junior Matthew Hammers sparked the Gamecocks in his two at bats in the contest.  In a pinch-hitting role in JSU's big seventh inning, Hammers drilled his first career home run to trim the SIU lead to 7-4.  Hammers, from McDonough, Georgia, started the second comeback with a one-out single.  Senior Clayton Daniel, who had three hits on the day after not recording a hit in the opener on Friday, singled to left with two outs and moved in to scoring position after swiping second before Hawthorne's home run.

Hawthorne, who has moved to the centerfield spot, drove in four runs all together in his last two plate appearances.  Junior catcher Nic Gaddis also bounced back from a hitless opener with a three-hit day, including a pair of doubles.  His second double evened the score at 7-7 after SIU intentionally walked Andrew Naismith to put runners on the corner for Jax State. 

For the second consecutive day head coach Jim Case used many arms against SIU.  Junior Derrick Adams, a preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference pick, worked the first 4.1 innings and was touched for five hits and four runs.  SIU put together a three-run fourth off of Adams with a back-to-back home run by J.T Webb and Drew Curtis.  Adam recorded a strikeout and did not allow a free pass.

Three new faces on the pitching staff made their debuts until senior Grant Chandler started the ninth inning.  Junior Austin Brewster, from Trussville, Alabama via Shelton State Community College went 1.1 innings and posted three strikeouts in his time on the bump.  Redshirt freshman Sean Rape also went 1.1 before Cody Willingham finished the eighth inning.  Willingham, a native of Rainsville, Alabama, joined JSU after two seasons at Southern Union Community College.

Chandler induced a pair of fly ball outs to start the ninth before Case called on redshirt sophomore Tyler Wilburn to close it down by facing SIU's Logan Blackfan, who had five hots already in two days before the at bat.  Wilburn stuck out Blackfan to register his first career save in a Gamecock uniform.

With the series win already wrapped up, JSU has now 36 series since the 2014 season.  The Gamecocks will look to complete the season-opening weekend with a sweep on Sunday.  First pitch at Choccolocco Park is set for 1 p.m.

Sunday's series finale will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network and live stats will be available at JSUGamecockSports.com.