JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State recorded its eighth consecutive win over in-state rival UAB with a 5-3 decision on Wednesday afternoon on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

The Gamecocks' (2-2) streak over the Blazers dates back to the 2015 season.  The two clubs will wrap up the two-game season set on March 4 when Jax State makes its first road trip of the season to Regions Field in downtown Birmingham.

JSU's pitching set the tone with seven scoreless UAB innings, while the Gamecock took an early lead and expanded the lead behind the solid pitching performances.  Freshman Camden Lovrich made his first start of his career, scattering four UAB hits in three innings of work.  Lovrich, from Pike Road, Alabama, secured his first win as a Gamecock.  Junior Christian Edwards tossed a pair of scoreless frames and registered two strikeouts.  Freshman Colton Lewis had the most impressive outing of the day as the Vestavia Hills, Alabama native caused fits for his neighboring town's club with six of Jax State's nine strikeouts in the game.  Redshirt Junior Jackson Tavel tossed an inning before senior Corley Woods closed out the contest to post his first save of the season.

Sophomore Carson Crowe and senior Andrew Naismith highlighted JSU's offense as both recorded multiple hits and combined for three RBI.  Crowe carded an RBI single in the second inning for the first of two runs in the frame.  Senior Tre Kirlin lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate the second run.  Naismith expanded JSU's lead in the sixth with a two-run home run to right centerfield.  The Auburn, Alabama product also had a bunt single. 

Junior Alex Strachan collected an RBI with a double down the left field line in the third inning.  Strachan has started his junior season hitting .353, including a pair of doubles and four RBI. 

Junior Cole Frederick and Junior Isaac Alexander also had hits in the contest.  Frederick has now reached base in 22 consecutive games dating back to the last 18 games of the 2019 season.  Alexander had JSU's first triple of the season in the secomd inning.  Strachan also has an on-base streak going back to last season as he extended it to 12 games on Wednesday with his RBI double.

The Gamecocks will host the Chippewas of Central Michigan in a four-game weekend set beginning on Saturday, Feb. 22.  The series begins with a 1 p.m. twinbill, followed by a Sunday outing at 1 p.m.  The series will conclude on Monday at 3 p.m.  The weekend series pits two teams that advanced to the NCAA postseason a year ago.  CMU and JSU entered NCAA Regional play with the top-two winning streaks.  CMU won 19 in a row, including its NCAA Starkville Regional opener against Miami (Fla.).  JSU was riding a 12-game winning streak going in to the NCAA Oxford Regional.

Live stats will be available for Saturday's doubleheader, while the JSU Gamecock Sports Network will carry the Sunday and Monday games.  The final two games of the series will be streamed on ESPN+.

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