ATHENS, Ga. – Jacksonville State dropped a 5-1 decision to nationally ranked Georgia on Wednesday afternoon at Foley Field.
JSU dropped to 5-9 overall and will now turn its attention to Ohio Valley Conference play as it will host the Panthers of Eastern Illinois in a weekend series at Rudy Abbott Field at
Jim Case Stadium. The series opener is set for 6 p.m. UGA, ranked as high as No. 9 in the national college baseball polls, improved to 11-2 on the season.
A four-run third inning for the Bulldogs was the difference as a pair of walks and two home runs turned in to a duo of home runs by UGA's Tucker Maxwell and Aaron Schunk. Georgia added the fifth run in the sixth on its third extra base hit of the contest as John Cable turned in a pinch hit double.
Jax State's run came off the bat of junior
Taylor Craven as the Wadley, Alabama native became the OVC leader in home runs with his fifth of the season to open JSU's half of the seventh inning.
Senior
Nic Gaddis, playing in his home state of Georgia, turned in another multi-hit game and second straight two-hit game with a single in his first plate appearance and started the ninth with a double.
Gaddis' hit in the first inning was just one of two allowed by UGA starter C.J. Smith. After allowing the single to centerfield by Gaddis, Smith retired the next 10 Gamecocks. Sophomore
Cole Frederick snapped the string with a single back up the middle. Smith collected seven strikeouts and issued one walk.
JSU tallied three of its five hits off of reliever Ryan Webb over the next 2.1 innings. Junior transfer
Devin Brown had a hit in the contest.
Jax State starter
Jackson Tavel was equally impressive in his first start as a Gamecock. Tavel retired the Bulldogs in order in the first two innings before issuing a leadoff walk in the third inning. The pair of two-run home runs came off freshman
Isaiah Magwood in the third frame. Seniors
Cody Willingham and
Austin Brewster saw action on the mound before redshirt junior
Tyler Wilburn closed out the contest.
The three-game OVC series with EIU will be streamed online on ESPN+ and via live stats at JSUGamecockSports.com. Season tickets and single game tickets are also available on JSUGamecockSports.com. All JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free to all JSU baseball games.
