JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State baseball team dropped its first Ohio Valley Conference home series after Morehead State claimed the series finale on Sunday, 6-3, on Rudy Abbott Field at
Jim Case Stadium.
After the two clubs split a Saturday twinbill with the Eagles (20-15, 9-5 OVC) claiming the series opener, the Gamecocks (19-20, 9-9 OVC) bounced back to force the rubber game on Sunday. JSU had won home series over Tennessee Tech and Belmont before falling to the Eagles.
The Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead through the first four innings to take control of the game and limit the Jax State offense. MSU starter John Sherman kept the Gamecock lineup off balanced for five innings as he pitched with a comfortable cushion. Sherman posted four strikeouts and scattered five JSU hits in the outing. His lone run issued was a solo home run by sophomore
Carson Crowe to start the fifth inning. The Gamecocks had Sherman on the ropes early in the contest with bases loaded with one out, but he pitched out the jam to set the tone for the outing. He picked up his first win of the season.
After Sherman got out of the jam in the first inning, the Eagle offense gave him a lead with a solo home by Jackson Feltner, who had his fourth home run of the weekend. MSU expanded the lead with a three-run third inning and a run in the fourth inning. The Eagles added a run in the seventh for insurance purposes.
JSU had runners on the base paths throughout the day and entire series as they stranded 31 runners on the bases in the three-game series and 12 on Sunday. Senior
Jaylyn Williams cut the deficit in half with a two-run home run in the ninth inning. Williams finished with four hits on the weekend and capped off the five-game week with nine hits. He recorded two doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs.
Sophomore
Isaiah Magwood highlighted JSU's pitching on Sunday with 4.2 innings of work and striking out four in the outing.
The Gamecocks wrap up their home-and-home set with Troy in midweek action on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network. Following the Troy game, Jax State will visit UT Martin next weekend.
