OXFORD – Jacksonville State dropped a 9-6 decision to Eastern Kentucky on Sunday at Choccolocco Park.
With the win, the Colonels claimed the Ohio Valley Conference weekend series after the two teams split the first two contests of the weekend in Oxford. EKU (24-21, 14-7 OVC) claimed the Friday night contest, 11-9, before the Gamecocks bounced back on Saturday with a 6-1 decision. JSU fell to 23-17 on the season and 12-9 in OVC action.
EKU opened the game with single runs in the first and second innings off of JSU starter Colton Pate. Both runs were two-out RBI as Alex Holderbach registered the first of four Colonel home runs in the contest with a first inning home run. Will Johnson, who also had one of the four EKU home runs, turned in an RBI single in the second.
The Gamecocks sliced the lead in half with an RBI by sophomore Chase Robinson in the second. EKU's Bryan Quillens was able to limit the damage to just one run in the frame after JSU loaded the bases. Quillens was handed a two-run cushion in the fourth inning with Johnson's home run and pitched in to the sixth with a 5-1 advantage. EKU led 6-1 through the top of the seventh before JSU started the first of two late rallies.
With the bases loaded for the second time of the game, JSU was limited to a pair of runs. Freshman Isaac Alexander tallied an RBI on a fielder's choice, while junior Nic Gaddis lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield for the second run.
The Colonels kept answering JSU's run producing innings as they plated three more runs in the eighth to take a six-run, 9-3 lead in to the final two innings. The big blow by EKU in the three-run eighth was a home run by Nick Howie.
JSU kept fighting down to the last out as things tightened things with three runs and had the tying run at the plate when EKU's Aaron Ochsenbein closed it out. The final JSU plate appearance was aided by a throwing error on the EKU infield that opened the door for a comeback. Sophomore Andrew Naismith had an RBI single for the third run after a run scored on the error and a Clayton Daniel scored on a wild pitch.
Daniel picked up his 298th career hit in the ninth inning and he moved in to sole possession of fourth place on the OVC's all-time hits list.
Naismith, along with senior Trent Simpson combined for four of JSU's eight hits. EKU touched Gamecock pitchers for 15 hits in the contest.
JSU closes out the season series with in-state rival Troy on Tuesday at Riddle-Pace Field on the Troy campus. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. The game will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network. JSU will travel to Morehead State next weekend for a three-game series against the Eagles.
