JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State dropped a 6-0 decision to Southern Mississippi on Saturday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field at
Jim Case Stadium to set up a rubber game of the weekend series between the two clubs.
Sunday's contest will get started at 1 p.m. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. All JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
The role was reversed from Friday's 6-0 win by the Gamecocks in the series opener as USM turned in a solid effort on the mound and posted a pair of three-run innings to earn the win. Both USM and JSU enter Sunday's finale at 5-5 on the season.
USM starter Walker Powell (1-0) handcuffed Jax State for seven complete innings. Powell scattered five Gamecock hits and collected eight strikeouts. The Golden Eagles' offense was sparked the fifth inning by the bottom half of the lineup as the final four hitters combined for six of 10 hits by the visitors. After having 19 consecutive scoreless innings going back to Wednesday's contest against Mississippi State and the 13 innings without a run against the Gamecocks, Andrew Stanley's single to right field snapped that string in the fifth inning. USM added two more runs in the frame with back-to-back singles.
The Golden Eagles solved Jax State starter
Dylan Hathcock (1-1) after the first three innings with eight hits off the lefthander. Hathcock pitched the first 4.1 innings before JSU went to the bullpen. Freshmen
Jake Peppers,
Camden Lovrich and Austin Powers combined to finish the contest.
USM expanded the lead with a three-run home run by Reed Trimble in the seventh. Trimble had four of USM's six RBI.
The Gamecocks were able to get the leadoff man on base in four the nine plate appearances but could not get anything going after getting a base runner on the base paths. Senior
Jaylyn Williams recorded two of JSU's six hits against the two USM pitchers. Williams started the fourth inning with a single and added his second hit of the day with a two-single. Redshirt sophomore
Nash Adams added a single in the eighth. After snapping his 16-game hitting streak on Friday, senior
Tre Kirklin reached base on an infield single in his first at bat. Pinch hitter
Zeth Malcom registered the final hit of the night with a single in the ninth. JSU loaded the bases in the ninth, but could not escape the shutout.
The series finale will be available on ESPN+ and can be followed via live stats on JSUGamecockSports.com.
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).
