JACKSONVILLE – Junior Isaiah Magwood collected a career-high 11 strikeouts and the Jacksonville State offense produced 11 runs as the Gamecocks moved to 4-0 in the ASUN with an 11-8 win over North Alabama on Friday night at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

Junior T.J. Reeves and freshman Brennen Norton led the JSU lineup with three hits each and senior Alex Strachan broke open a tight contest in the fourth inning with a three-run home run to left field. Senior Alex Carignan also had multiple hits and recorded three RBI. Junior Carson Crowe had a pair of hits in the contest. Norton drove in a pair of runs and senior Isaac Alexander added two RBI. The Gamecocks blistered UNA (6-14, 1-3 ASUN) for 15 hits, which matched a season-high for the club. JSU (9-11, 4-0 ASUN) turned in 15 hits earlier this season against Siena in March 6. The Gamecocks have scored double figures in runs in both ASUN series openers. Last week, JSU turned in a 10-1 series-opening win at Lipscomb.

Magwood was solid from the start with seven of his 11 strikeouts coming in the first three innings. The Hazel Green, Alabama righthander ran into trouble in the fourth inning with UNA scratching two runs on the scoreboard and added a run off of Magwood in fifth. He allowed three hits and just two earned runs in 24 batters faced. His previous career-high in strikeouts was nine against Morehead State on April 27, 2019. Senior Dylan Hathcock cruised through three innings after retiring nine consecutive UNA hitters before a tough ninth inning. After UNA plated five runs in its last plate appearance to cut the deficit to 11-8, JSU freshman AJ Causey earned his fourth save of the season by finalizing the last two outs. As a staff, JSU's three pitchers fanned 15 Lions.

JSU scored in bunches in the game one win with three runs in the first and two runs in the third to take control of the game and give Magwood a cushion. Carignan had the first of his three RBI with a single, followed by a two-out, two-run single by Norton in the inning that was also aided by UNA miscues. Crowe had an RBI single and Carignan added his second RBI with a double in the third to extend the JSU lead.

After UNA trimmed the JSU advantage to 5-2 in the fourth, the Gamecocks answered with a four spot on the board. The big hit in the inning was Strachan's fourth home run of the season. Alexander's two RBI in the seventh capped off the scoring for JSU.

The series continues on Saturday with another 6 p.m. outing on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. JSU students and all fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.