CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – It was another tough opening night of an Ohio Valley Conference series for Jacksonville State with an 8-7 loss to Austin Peay on Friday night.

The setback dropped the Gamecocks into a tie for fourth place in the league standings with APSU as both teams will enter the Saturday doubleheader with equal league marks at 13-12. The doubleheader will get started at 1 p.m. at Raymond C. Hand Park. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.

Jax State (23-24) rallied late with a three-run seventh inning to even the contest at 5-5. Junior Zeth Malcom delivered the big two-out, two-run single match the Govs in the scoring column. APSU (19-29) answered quickly with a run in the eighth and added a two-run home run in the eighth. The two runs proved too be key as junior Cole Frederick trimmed the deficit to a run with a two-run home run in the ninth inning.

The Gamecocks started strong with a two-run home run by senior Alex Webb in the first inning. Webb plated Malcom, who had the first hit of the night ahead of Webb. It was Webb's ninth of the season and 20th as a Gamecock. The Govs responded against JSU starter Isaiah Magwood with three runs on a pair of hits in the home half of the inning. APSU added two more runs in the third to pad the lead for its starter, Luke Brown.

After the Webb home run, Brown settled in to scatter six Gamecock hits and touched for three runs in six complete innings. He did not figure into the decision after JSU rallied in the seventh. APSU's Harley Gollert picked up the win after three innings of work.

Frederick, Malcom and Alex Carignan each had multiple hits in the contest.