ATHENS, Ga. – Jacksonville State dropped the final game of the season-opening series against Georgia, 10-5, on Sunday at Foley Field.
The Gamecocks claimed an 8-5 win over the Southeastern Conference member before the Bulldogs bounced back on Saturday and Sunday to claim the series. Jax State continues its four-game road trip to begin the 2023 season with another set of Bulldogs on Tuesday afternoon. JSU will travel to Birmingham to face Samford in its first midweek action. First pitch from Joe Lee Griffin Field is set for 4 p.m.
In a back-and-forth contest early with Jax State taking a 1-0 lead after its first trip to the plate, UGA responded with five runs over the first three innings to take a 5-1 lead. The Bulldogs recorded runs in every inning except three on Sunday to retake and expand the lead after the Gamecocks equalized with a big four-run fourth inning.
Jax State plated the first run of te contest after freshman
Caleb Johnson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. UGA responded with a two-run home run in the first, pushed the lead out with a run in the second and added two more to hold a 5-1 advantage.
The Gamecocks big fourth inning was highlighted by four consecutive hits from
Michael Dallas,
Jarrett Eaton, V
Brooks Bryan and
Javon Hernandez. Bryan delivered the big hit with a double and scored on
T.J. Reeves sacrifice fly to even the contest.
Georgia answered with two runs in the home portion of the fourth and added three more runs in the sixth and seventh combined. Redshirt senior
Trey Fortner was saddled with the loss out of the bullpen, while UGA's Nolan Crisp picked up the win after getting the Bulldogs out of the fourth inning and keeping JSU off the scoreboard over the next 3.1 innings.
The Gamecocks put together a 12-hit performance against SEC pitching as three different players had multiple hits in the setback. Hernandez collected three hits from the leadoff spot, while Reeves posted another multi-hit contest. Reeves, a 2023 Preseason All-ASUN selection has two hits in each game of the opening weekend. Johnson, making his first start as a Gamecock registered two hits against UGA.
Tuesday's Samford contest will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
