JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State broke open a one-run contest with six runs combined in the sixth and seventh to take the series opener with Gardner-Webb, 9-3, on a chilly Friday evening on Rudy Abbott Field at
Jim Case Stadium.
The Gamecocks pulled even at 4-4 overall, while the Runnin' Bulldogs fell to 5-4 on the season. The two clubs will face off on Saturday in a 1 p.m. contest. The game will be available on the Gamecock Sports Network. JSU Students and all fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased online at JSUGamecockSports.com.
Senior
Andrew Naismith turned in a 4-5 night at the plate and posted an RBI double in the JSU's two-run seventh inning. The four lefthanders in the Jax State order combined for nine of the 15 hits by the Gamecocks. Senior
Alex Webb posted a multi-hit game along with sophomore
Carson Crowe's two singles. Senior
Chase Robinson delivered a game-tying triple in the JSU second inning. Junior
Alex Strachan had back-to-back RBI doubles in the third and fifth inning.
Senior
Tre Kirklin keyed the Gamecocks' four-run, four-hit sixth inning with his second home run of the season. Kirklin belted a two-run home run over the left field wall. Junior
Cole Frederick and Webb reached on a pair of two-out hits, including a double by Webb. Junior
Alex Carignan followed Webb with an RBI double.
Junior transfer
Javier Ramirez carded his first RBI as a Gamecock in the seventh with a one-out single, while Naismith's RBI was registered in the seventh.
The JSU pitching staff turned in another solid performance, led by starter
Dylan Hathcock. Hathcock picked up his second win of the year with six complete innings and touched for two early runs by GWU. Hathcock fanned six of JSU's 10 strikeouts on the day. Redshirt sophomore
Trey Fortner tossed two shutout frames and added three strikeouts. Freshman
Colton Lewis rounded out the pitching on Friday night.
For more information on the JSU baseball team, follow the Gamecocks on Twitter (@JSUGamecocksBB). For more on all Gamecocks sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of JSU Athletics on Twitter (@JSUGamecocks), Facebook (Facebook.com/JSUGamecocks), Instagram (@JSUGamecocks) and Snapchat (@JSUGamecocks).
