JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State collected another Ohio Valley Conference weekend series with a 6-2 series-deciding win over Morehead State on Sunday afternoon on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

The Gamecocks bounced back after falling 5-0 on Friday night to claim their sixth OVC set of the season and fifth in a row.  JSU improved to 23-20 overall and 14-7 in OVC play, while MSU dropped to 28-17 on the season and 12-9 in the conference.  Jax State entered the weekend with a share of first place in the OVC standings and will exit the weekend with a share of the top spot with Belmont (16-8) and Austin Peay (16-8).

For the second consecutive contest, Jax State had another stellar pitching performance and a four-hit day at the plate.  Redshirt sophomore Dylan Hathcock tossed seven shutout innings before the Eagles touched him for a run in the seventh inning.  Sophomore Cole Frederick became the second Gamecock on the weekend to tally four hits in a game as he followed junior Alex Webb's four-hit game on Saturday night. 

Frederick gave Hathcock a lead to work with in the first inning with an RBI double down the left field line, scoring junior Tre Kirklin.  The Tuscaloosa, Alabama native delivered a two-out, two-run double in his next at bat in the third inning to extend the JSU lead to 4-0.  Frederick added a bunt single in the fourth and a base hit to right field in the sixth.  He finished with three RBI on the day.  For the weekend, Frederick hit .500 (7-14) with five RBI.

Hathcock, the Tallassee, Alabama lefty baffled the Eagles' order with 14 ground ball outs and recorded five fly ball outs.  Hathcock did not issue a walk until the final batter he faced in the eighth, walking the leadoff hitter.  He carded his first win as a Gamecock.  Junior Corley Woods finished the final two frames, including a pair of strikeouts.  As a pitching staff, JSU accumulated 28 strikeouts and limited MSU to five free passes in 27 innings of work. 

Jax State kept adding cushion for Hathcock with a two-run fourth inning.  Sophomore Alex Strachan connected on a one-out solo home run to left field.  Webb added the final RBI of the day with a single to centerfield.

Sophomore Isaac Alexander had multiple hits with a double and a single. 

The Gamecocks will travel to Birmingham, Alabama on Tuesday to wrap up the two-game season set with the Bulldogs of Samford.  First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.  JSU will face the Skyhawks of UT Martin on the road next weekend.