JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State blasted a season-high six home runs, including two home runs each by senior T.J. Reeves and junior Mason Maners in a 12-5 series-opening win over Central Arkansas on Friday at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

The Gamecocks' home run barrage against UCA pitching started with the first pitch of the home half of the first by freshman Bear Madliak, followed by Maners' first home run of the night in the opening at bat to give Jax State an early lead. Reeves belted his first home run of the night with a two-run, two-out blast to left field after a Bear miscue kept the third inning alive. Maners started the seventh inning with a towering shot to right field to expand a one-run lead by JSU. Junior Derrick Jackson tallied the fifth home run of the night a batter later in the inning. Reeves broke open a three-run game in the eighth inning with his second career grand slam. The last time Jax State posted six home runs was during a 20-2 win over UT Martin in May, 2019. That game-kick-started JSU's run to the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Championship, OVC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Oxford Regional.

Maners and Reeves, the top-two home run hitters in the Gamecock lineup, have combined for 25 home runs on the season. A back-and-forth battle for the team lead in home runs, Reeves pulled ahead of Maners with 13 on the season, while Maners is one back at 12 on the season. As the calendar changes to the month of May, Maners has collected 13 hits in the six games so far in the month, including three home runs, a double and triple. Maners finished Friday's contest with three hits after adding an infield single to his credit.

The ASUN's leading hitter, Javon Hernandez broke up a 5-5 tie in the fourth with an RBI single, scoring senior Carson Crowe, who started the inning with a double. Hernandez finished with multiple hits for the 22nd time this season and the 17th time in 25 league games. Madliak finished with a multi-hit game as he added a double in his second plate appearance. The top-four of Jax State's batting order combined for nine-of-the-11 hits in the win.

Friday's contest was not all about the offense as junior Will Baker turned in a solid appearance out of the bullpen and kept UCA off the scoreboard after it rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the fourth inning to make it a 5-5 game. The Mount Olive, Alabama native went 4.0 innings, allowed two hits and collected a pair of strikeouts. Sophomore Austin Cornelius tossed a clean ninth inning. Jax State starter AJ Causey battled for the first four innings with seven strikeouts and seven hits allowed.

The Gamecocks roughed up one of the top pitchers in the ASUN as UCA's Jesse Barker was saddled with the loss after JSU put eight runs on nine hits off of him in 6.1 innings on the mound.

Jax State will be looking to secure the series on Saturday with a 6 p.m. contest. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. The evening game will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.

Prior to Saturday's contest, Jax State will honor its eight seniors – Jarrett Eaton, T.J. Reeves, Colin Casey, Trent Hoogerwerf, Brooks Bryan, Carson Crowe, Trey Fortner and Garrett Wade.