JACKSONVILLE – Nationally-ranked Alabama powered its way past Jacksonville State with a pair of home runs in a 5-3 setback on Tuesday at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

The Crimson Tide (4-0) led off the contest with a solo home run by Peyton Wilson and broke a 1-all deadlock in the fifth with a two-run home run by Sam Praytor to give the Southeastern Conference foe the lead and fought off a a pair of late-inning scoring threats by the Gamecocks (1-3).  The two teams will wrap up the season set on March 10 as JSU will visit Tuscaloosa.

JSU starter Isaiah Magwood limited the damage in the first inning and was able to push through other UA scoring chances in his four innings of work. Magwood tossed the first four frames and was touched for three hits, a run and a pair of strikeouts.  The Gamecocks were able to equalize in the second inning off of UA starter Williams Freeman. Junior Isaac Alexander drilled an RBI double to the right center gap, scoring sophomore Carson Crowe from first base. Crowe turned in a one-out single to right field.

Graduate transfer Kyle Luigs could not put the Crimson Tide away in the fifth after a one-out walk preceded Praytor's blast to left field for the lead.  Luigs went 2.2 innings and tallied a pair of strikeouts. Freshman Jake Peppers continued to shine out of the bullpen with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings-worked.

The Gamecocks answered with a two-out run with senior Tre Kirklin extending his hitting streak to 12 games with his first home run of the season and 12th of his career and the fourth within the last 12 games.  He turned in three home runs in the last eight games of the 2020 season.

Alabama would extend the lead to three runs with a two-out, two-run single by William Hamiter in the seventh. The Gamecocks stranded six of their nine runners in the final three at bats.  UA's Chase Lee finished the final 2.1 innings to lock down a save.

The Gamecocks return to action this weekend, hosting Valparaiso in a three0game series that gets started on Friday, February 26.  First pitch is set for 4 p.m. on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. The series will wrap up on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. All JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.

For more information on the JSU baseball team, follow the Gamecocks on Twitter (@JSUGamecocksBB) and Instagram (@JSUGamecocksBB). For more on all Gamecocks sports teams, follow the official social media accounts of JSU Athletics on Twitter (@JSUGamecocks), Facebook (Facebook.com/JSUGamecocks) and Instagram (@JSUGamecocks).