JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State turned in a complete performance with a season-best 13 hits, collecting nine strikeouts as a staff and turning in sensational defensive plays to claim a series win over Southern Illinois with a 5-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

Every Gamecock in the order produced a hit, while freshman Eli Zielinski turned in seven strikeouts in six innings in his JSU home debut. Jax State squashed an SIU scoring threat by throwing a pair of runners out at the plate in the seventh inning. The offense broke open a 1-0 contest by stringing together six consecutive hits and plating four runs to extend the lead to 5-0. The linked hitting was highlighted by senior T.J. Reeves' RBI double. Senior Carson Crowe followed Reeves with an RBI single along with sophomore AJ Causey's RBI single down the right field line. Freshman Bear Madliak pushed his first Gamecock run across the dish with one of his two hits on the day.

Reeves, who torched SIU pitching in the three games with seven hits, had his second consecutive three-hit outing. He also threw a runner out at the plate attempting to score on a fly ball. Crowe and Madliak were the other two Gamecocks that finished with multiple hits.

The five-run cushion provided by the offense was all Zielinski needed in is second start of the season. After just 2.1 innings last week at Georgia, the Daphne, Alabama lefty was much comfortable in the second outing. He scattered three SIU hits, allowed one run and finished with seven strikeouts in six complete innings to pick up his first win in a Gamecock uniform. Jax State went to another freshman lefthander out of the bullpen with Josh Sibley. Sibley posted a pair of strikeouts before junior Reid Fagerstrom tacked on another save on the weekend after SIU loaded the bases in its final at bat. Fagerstrom now has three saves in the first two weekends of the season.

Junior Mason Maners extended his on-base streak to 19 straight games dating back to the 2022 season with a single in that big Jax State fifth inning and a walk in his first plate appearance.

SIU, the preseason pick to win the Missouri Valley Conference, was led by Pier-Oliver Boucher's two hits.

The Gamecocks will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Wednesday to start the month of March. First pitch from Sewell Thomas Stadium on the UA campus is set for 3 p.m. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network. It will be the lone match up of the season with the Crimson Tide, who have started the year 8-0 after sweeping High Point.

Following the midweek contest with an SEC foe, the Gamecocks will not have to get on a bus for nearly the rest of the month. Jax State begins a 12-game homestand next weekend, hosting the Braves of Bradley from the MVC. Friday's series opener is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. All JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.