JACKSONVILLE – Eastern Illinois rallied with four unanswered runs in the fourth inning to claim a crucial, 7-4, series-opening win over Jacksonville State on Thursday night on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

With JSU's loss and a win by Austin Peay over Murray State on Thursday, the Gamecocks will need to sweep Friday's doubleheader and APSU drop both games of its twinbill with the Racers. Jax State and EIU will conclude the three-game series with a 1 p.m. first pitch. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. All JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. JSU will honor its 2020 and 2021 senior classes prior to the start of the first game.

It was a contest of rallies on Thursday as JSU rallied from a 3-0 deficit after two innings to post a four-run third inning before EIU answered with four runs in the fourth inning. Both pitching staffs held the opposition scoreless over the final 4.5 innings. The Gamecock arms combined for 12 strikeouts and allowed just six Panther hits, but the blemish on the stat sheet was eight walks issued and four the eight scored.

EIU took advantage of two early fielding miscues by the Gamecocks to post a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Panthers added a single run in the second inning. The first four EIU runs were walks that were issued by JSU.

Jax State strung together four hits and pushed its four runs across the dish in the third inning. JSU solved EIU starter Trevor Nicholson in the frame, but he was able to get out of the inning with a one-run deficit. Junior Tanner Anderson started the frame with a single, followed by a hit by pitch of Cole Frederick. Junior Nash Adams turned in an RBI single, followed by a two-run triple by senior Alex Webb to even the contest. Junior Alex Carignan plated Webb and the go-ahead run with a double down the left field line.

Pitching with a lead, sophomore Isaiah Magwood was able to record the first out, but then struggled with the strike zone with back-to-back walks. Logan Eickhoff recorded one of his three hits on the night with an RBI single. EIU took the lead on a bases loaded walk, followed by an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.

For the third weekend in a row, junior Dylan Hathcock was solid out of the bullpen. Hathcock would retire 13 of the next 14 Panthers before issuing his lone hit with a lead off single to start the ninth. He fanned five and walked one in five complete innings.

Frederick paced the JSU order from the leadoff spot with three hits in the contest. He was the lone Gamecock to have multiple hits against EIU's staff. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama native now has 17 multiple hit games and has reached base in the last 17 outings.

Friday's doubleheader will be available on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.