ATLANTA – Jax State struck early and pushed Georgia Tech to the brink Wednesday night, but a big fourth inning propelled the Yellow Jackets to an 8-6 victory.
 
The Gamecocks (7-13) racked up seven hits, but it was the ones they couldn't manage to find in key moments that stung against Georgia Tech (15-7). The Yellow Jackets capped a 12-0 homestand in the comeback effort.
 
Jax State jumped on the board early when Emma Elrod sent her first career home run over the left center fence to make it 2-0 with Emma Jones already aboard. The Jackets wasted no time responding with a three-run shot of their own in the home half of the inning.
 
The back-and-forth battle continued in the second when Amber Reed led off with a single and Hannah Buffington drew a walk to put two on for Emma Jones' two-out liner down the left field line that scored both runners. Back in the lead, Lindsey Richardson then stepped in an eventually took the eighth pitch of the at-bat back up the middle to extend the Gamecock advantage to 5-2.
 
In a planned moved, the Gamecocks rotated through the pitching staff all night. Sarah Currie tossed the first frame, before Reed entered and retired the side in the second. Jordan Eslinger was handed the third frame, where GT put another on the board by way of a leadoff solo shot.
 
The biggest damage came in the fourth when the Jackets rallied for four two-out runs to grab an 8-5 lead. Jaliyah Holmes entered in relief of Kat Carter on her way to tossing the final 2.1 frames where she held GT off the board the rest of the night.
 
The Gamecocks threatened in the closing frames, but the big hits eluded at key times and two double plays in the final two innings wiped away potential tying and go-ahead runners.
 
Jax State resumes action on Friday facing Miami (OH) and Furman in the opening day of the Georgia Bulldog Classic in Athens, Ga.,