MOBILE – The Jacksonville State baseball team dropped the final game of the in-state weekend series with South Alabama, 11-1, on Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field.
With the Jags win, they claimed the series after the Gamecocks evened the three-game series on Saturday with a 9-3 win. USA improved to 7-1 overall, while Jax State dropped to 3-4 on the season. After four games away from its home turf, the Gamecocks will play seven-of-their-next eight games on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium, beginning with the first home midweek match up on Tuesday against future Conference USA member Kennesaw State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.Tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com and all Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger get in free.
After a fast start offensively in Saturday's win by Jax State, it was the Jags taking note with a run in the first, followed by a pair of runs in the second inning. USA extended the lead with a run in the fourth and broke open the contest with a three-run fifth inning. The Jaguars collected 12 hits, including six doubles on the day, which led to productive innings off of the Jax State pitchers. USA added two more runs in the sixth and the seventh.
Jax State limited the big run-scoring innings early with sophomore catcher
Bear Madliak throwing out a pair of Jags on the base paths on Sunday along with two inning-ending double plays turned in by the Jax State defense. Head coach Steve Bieser gave many pitchers an opportunity on Sunday as he sent nine different arms to the mound. Sophomore transfer
Foster McDonald started his first game in a Jax State uniform. He was saddled with the loss against the Jags.
Senior
Derrick Jackson, Jr. led the Jax State lineup with a pair hits, including a double in his second plate appearance. He added a leadoff single in the seventh inning. Freshman
Gabe Young joined Jackson with multiple hits in the game. He added an RBI single in the eighth for the lone Jax State run of the day.
, junior
Logan Walters and freshman
Sam Silas had hits on the setback. Silas made his first start as a Gamecock.
For Tuesday's tussle with the Owls, there will be a beer special at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. All draft beer and Busch cans will be $3 throughout the contest.
The Gamecocks will be home for the next two weekends in non-conference action beginning the month of March against Mid American Conference favorite Kent State. The series with the Golden Flashes begins on Friday, March 1. Tuesday's KSU contest along with the Friday and Sunday outings with KSU will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
