JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State baseball team picked up a 9-8 win over Southeastern Conference foe Missouri on Sunday at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

With the win, JSU has now posted wins over an SEC program in each season dating back to the 2017 season.  The win was also the first over the Tigers as the two clubs met during the 1999 season.
 
A trio of Gamecocks combined for nine of JSU's 12 hits against Tiger pitching on Sunday.  Junior Alex Strachan went 3-for-4 output at the plate and delivered three RBI.  The Madison, Alabama native highlighted the Gamecocks' five-run first inning, erasing another early lead by Mizzou.  He belted a double the other way down in the right field corner, plating a pair of runs.  Strachan added a single in third and his third RBI on the day with a two-out single to left field after the 6-all deadlock was broken up by a sacrifice fly by Cole Frederick.
 
Senior Tre Kirklin also had a three-hit performance and finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.  Kirlin started the day with a single in the first and posted his first home run of the season to start the fourth inning.  His home run matched Mizzou's run in the top half of the inning.  The Kennesaw, Georgia centerfielder laced a double down the left field line in JSU's two-run sixth. 

Senior Taylor Craven collected three hits on the day, including a two-run single in the first inning.  The Wadley, Alabama product reached base four times with a walk.

Mizzou put together a rally in its final at bat, scoring a pair of runs and having the tying run at third base.  After junior Sean Rape recorded the first two outs, JSU went with redshirt sophomore Trey Fortner to preserve the win.  Fortner fanned the lone batter he faced to register his first career save. 

Freshman Austin Downey picked up the win in his Gamecock debut after tossing three solid innings.  The Eclectic, Alabama right hander was touched for two hits and tallied a strikeout.  Sophomore Michael Gilliland finished with three strikeouts in his first start in a weekend series.  Junior Colin Casey went 3.1 innings and carded a pair of strikeouts.

Junior Javier Ramirez was the fourth Gamecock with multiple hits in the contest.  The transfer from Taft College (Calif.) had a single in the first inning and another base hit in the sixth.

The Gamecocks continue the 12-game homestand on Wednesday, Feb. 19 as the Blazers of UAB come to Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium for the first midweek contest.  First pitch is set for 3 p.m.  Admission is free to all JSU students and all fans 18 years old and younger.  Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com.

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