RUSTON, La. – Jacksonville State found itself in deep holes to start both games its Conference USA doubleheader with Louisiana Tech as the Gamecocks dropped both games on Saturday at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.

After rain in the Ruston area forced Friday's game to Saturday, the Bulldogs claimed the first game 12-8 and finished off the sweep with a 9-4 win. The Gamecocks will look to salvage the final game of the series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

LA Tech used the long ball in its home park on Saturday with 13 of its 21 runs on the day coming via seven combined home runs on the day, including four home runs between the two games for Cole McConnell. The Bulldogs' centerfielder had three home runs in his first three plate appearances in the second contest. LA Tech stormed out to a 12-1 lead after five innings after a four-run first inning and broke the game open with seven two-out runs in the fifth inning.

The Gamecocks' offense mounted a comeback over the last four innings, highlighted by junior Brennen Norton's pair of home runs in the opener. The Cullman, Alabama native delivered a two-run home run in the sixth inning and added his team-high 10th home run of the season in his next at bat in the seventh with a three-run blast. He accounted for five-of-the-eight Jax State runs in the conference opener. He also made three key putouts defensively at third base. Freshman Gabe Young turned in a pinch hit double down the left field line in the eighth inning to trim the LA Tech lead down to four runs.

Senior Will Baker suffered the loss in the CUSA opener after 4.2 innings of work. The Jax State bullpen allowed the bats to come around with just three LA Tech hits and three runs over the final 3.1 innings.

The LA Tech's start to the second game was a mirror image of the start to the first contest as a two-run home run started the scoring for the home side. The Bulldogs expanded the lead with a pair of two-run home runs in the third inning and added three insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined.

Jax State got on the scoreboard in the fourth with an RBI single from junior Logan Walters. Sophomore Caleb Johnson, who reached base in both games to extend his on-base streak to all 22 games this season and 27 straight games after reaching base in the final five games of last season. Johnson had a single in the first game and touched them all in the fifth inning with a two-run home run. Jax State's final run of the day came on a bases-loaded walk, scoring Drew Collins, who started the sixth inning with a lead off walk. Collins, who was ascended to the top of the order in the second game, finished with three hits to lead Jax State's 10-hit performance.

Sophomore Jackson Sleeper was saddled with the loss after 5.0 innings on the mound and touched for seven runs on five hits. Freshman Ryan Vermillion and junior Ethan Adkison tossed the final three frames.

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