JACKSONVILLE – Jax State escaped a series of miscues to walk away with an 8-7 victory over visiting Louisiana Tech on Friday night, hanging on for the series-opening win despite four errors.
 
The Gamecocks (18-22, 7-6 CUSA) have a winning record in Conference USA for the first time, officially digging out of an 0-4 start in their new conference. The win over the Bulldogs (24-12, 7-6 CUSA) wasn't played to script as Jax State gave up two runs in the second inning to fall behind early and allowed a trio of LA Tech runners to score in the seventh putting the potential victory quickly up for grabs.
 
Reigning CUSA Pitcher of the Week Kat Carter drew the start where she would go four innings and allow eight hits. Although a series of errors in the field behind her plagued her with three unearned runs of her four total given up, Carter still remained on the hook when she exited for freshman Amber Reed to begin the top of the fifth.
 
Reed got back-to-back groundouts to open her night before the first of three strikeouts on the night to send Jax State to bat in the home half of the frame still trailing 4-3. A sacrifice fly for Makalyn Kyser in the second got Jax State on the board after the 2-0 deficit. Down 4-1, Morgan Nowakowski lifted her fourth home run of the season out to start the fourth inning.
 
Back within a run in the fifth, the Gamecocks worked the bases loaded with two outs as Ella Pate stepped in for what became the pivotal turning point of the contest. Pate fouled off close pitches and battled back from a 1-2 count to eventually draw a game-tying RBI walk. Pate's walk signaled the end of the night for LA Tech starter Allie Floyd, who began the game with a 12-3 mark in the circle.
 
On the first pitch following Floyd's exit, sophomore Ashley Phillips lined a ball back up the middle for a pair of RBI to hand Jax State its first lead of the night. Senior Lindsey Richardson followed with a single to plate both Pate and Phillips for an 8-4 advantage.
 
Reed made quick work of LA Tech in the sixth inning backed by her new four-run cushion. However, in the seventh, the Bulldogs mounted a two-out rally that scored three and eventually got the tying run into scoring position. A ball rocketed off the bat of Tech leadoff hitter Alannah Rogers' bat was abruptly snagged by Richardson at first, who had already seen one error previously, for the final out.
 
New Mexico State hit a walkoff home run over FIU on Friday night to take sole possession of third-place in the conference standings. With the opening win, Jax State moves into a tie for fourth with LA Tech. The two teams return to action Saturday afternoon for game two at Jana McGinnis Field at 1:00 p.m.