JACKSONVILLE – The University of Memphis broke open a 2-2 contest with a pair of big innings to force a series-deciding Sunday contest with a 7-4 win over Jacksonville State on a chilly Saturday afternoon on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

The Tigers bounced back after the Gamecocks walked off the visitors from the state of Tennessee in 13 innings on opening day. The rubber match between the two teams is set for 1 p.m. Tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. Following every Sunday home contest, kids are get to run the bases and get autographs from the Gamecocks.

Jax State and UofM traded jabs through the first three innings with the Tigers getting on the board with a run in the first inning, followed by a run in the third after the Gamecocks pushed their first run of the game across the dish after junior Michael Dallas was hit-by-the-pitch with the bases loaded. Sophomore catcher Bear Madliak, who finished with a pair of hits and two RBI to lead Jax State in the setback, started the frame with a walk, followed by back-to-back singles from junior Matthew Albritton and redshirt freshman Kensky Thomas to load the bases.

The two clubs used the long ball in the third inning as senior Derrick Jackson, Jr. dialed up his first home run of the season. After the Tigers tallied a solo home run in the third frame, they added two runs in the fourth and added three more in the fifth. The offensive highlight for the Tigers in the fifth inning were home runs in consecutive at bats for Aaron Smigelski and Daunte Stuart.

Madliak produced his two RBI in fifth and seventh innings with a single to center field in the fifth and an opposite field hit to right field for the final two runs for the Gamecocks. Jax State had traffic on the bases throughout the game as it stranded 10 on the day. The Tigers' bullpen kept the Gamecocks from having a big inning as JT Durham picked up the win in relief after three innings of work.

After posting 19 strikeouts as a pitching staff in Friday's win, the Jax State pitchers combined for eight more strikeouts on Saturday. Junior transfer Russell Derbyshire tossed the first three innings, scattering four hits and posting a pair of strikeouts in his Jax State debut. The Jax State bullpen saw four of the five pitchers used make their collegiate debut. Freshman Collin Woodham was the first newcomer in relief and suffered the loss. Junior college transfer Brett Mallet, freshman Ryan Vermillion and junior college newcomer Colby Morse all saw action on the mound. Vermillion wiggled out of a tough situation in the seventh with the Tigers threatening to expand the lead. The Vestavia Hills, Alabama native stranded a pair of UofM base runners after inducing a foul pop up and fanning the next two Tigers.

Albritton, a transfer from Jefferson College joined Madliak and Thomas as the three Gamecocks with multiple hits.

Sunday's finale will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.