LYNCHBURG, Va. – Jacksonville State dropped the opening game of the weekend series with Liberty, 7-2, on Friday night in Conference USA action on Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
The Flames broke a 1-1 deadlock with a three-run sixth inning and added three more runs in the eighth inning to preserve the CUSA win and remain atop the league standings. LU (16-17, 8-2 CUSA) strung together five hits in the inning, including back-to-back RBI singles from Camden Troyer and Kane Kepley. Troyer finished with a pair of hits from the bottom of the order. Kepley led the LU offense with three hits in the contest.
LU struck first with a run in the first inning before the Gamecocks matched in the fifth inning. Junior
Brennen Norton, who was slotted in the leadoff spot in the Jax State batting lineup for the first time in his career, started the inning with his third base hit of the night in his first three plate appearances. He would score on a wild pitch and close play at the plate. It was Norton's third game with three hits collected and his 12th multi-hit game of the season.
After the Flames ignited for the three-run sixth, the Gamecocks had a chance for a big inning in the seventh. It all stated with a two-out single for
Drew Collins, followed by a double down the right field line by
Caleb Johnson, scoring Collins from first base. Johnson, who has reached safely in 31-of-the-32 games this season, posted a pair of hits, while Collins also had a two-hit night. Freshmen
Gabe Young and
Sam Silas added hits down the lineup.
LU starter Cole Hertzler went six-plus innings and accumulated 10 strikeouts and walked three Gamecocks en route to notching a Friday night win in CUSA. LU's Ben Blair posted second save of the year with three clean innings, including three strikeouts.
The Gamecocks, who had seven-of-the-nine hits come from the top-three hitters, had chances throughout the game, but could not get the elusive key hit. Jax State stranded nine on the base paths and lost three runners on the base paths in steal attempts.
Jax State will look to even the series on Saturday in the second game of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
