JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville pitcher Even Chrest found a way to quiet one of the top offenses in the ASUN as Jacksonville State dropped a 4-2 decision in the series opener against the Dolphins on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

Chrest tossed eight complete innings, struck out 12 Gamecocks and allowed two runs on one swing of the bat from Jax State's Carson Crowe. His work set the table for Chris Lotito to pick up his 10th save of the season. Chrest limited a JSU offense that was hitting .349 entering the contest to five hits on the night.

The JU offense provided him a lead to work with as it scored single runs in the firth three frames. Junior Jake Peppers, who was making his first start in ASUN play and fourth on the season, was touched for all four runs, which were all scored with two outs in the inning. JU opened the game with a pair of two-out doubles for the first run and added a second run the following inning after a leadoff walk crossed the plate. JU expanded the lead in the third after a pair of two-out singles.

All six runs in the Friday affair were scored with two outs in the inning. Jax State's pair of runs came in the fourth inning as Crowe turned on a Chrest pitch down the right field line for his third home run of the season. Crowe's blast swung the momentum as Peppers tossed a clean fifth inning to keep it a onerun contest. After a leadoff single by JU, JSU went with junior Will Baker out of the bullpen. After a two-out RBI single, Baker worked out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the Gamecocks within striking distance. Baker tossed two clean innings following the sixth and tallied a career-high four strikeouts in the outing. Junior Reid Fagerstrom finished the final 1.2 innings and collected four strikeouts.

Chrest and Lotito held the Gamecocks without a hit from the fifth inning until the end of the contest. Freshman Bear Madliak had a bloop single with one out before Chrest induced an inning-ending double play. Jax State had the tying run at the plate in the ninth after senior T.J. Reeves was issued a one-out walk. Reeves has now reached base in all 32 games this season with a single and a walk on Friday night. Junior Mason Maners had a single in the first inning to give him a hit in 35-of-the-41 ASUN games he has played in.

The Gamecocks will look to bounce-back to even the series on Saturday evening. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. The JSU SAAC will be hosting a canned food drive for Saturday's contest to benefit the Gamecock Market on campus. Any canned good will be redeemed for free admission to the game. Game two of the series will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.