JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State claimed its first Conference USA series with a thrilling 4-3 win in extra innings over FIU on Saturday night at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
Freshman
Hudson Walburn delivered the game-winning hit in the eleventh inning with a single to the right centerfield gap, scoring freshman
Sam Silas, who reached on the second Panther error of the night. After sophomore
Will Fincher put down the sacrifice bunt down to move Silas into scoring position, Walburn walked it off for the second time this season after a game-winning two-run home run to lift Jax State past Iowa on March 9.
After the Gamecocks blistered FIU pitching for 18 runs on 17 hits in the 18-7 win series opener on Friday night, both of Saturday's starting pitchers limited the offense from getting hot. Junior
Logan Walters was the Jax State offense with a pair of home runs in the series-clinching win. Walters took advantage of the first Panther error in the second inning after senior
Derrick Jackson, Jr. reached on a one-out miscue ahead of Walters. The Petal, Mississippi outfielder blasted a two-run home run over the left field fence for the second of three home runs on in two games this weekend. He belted his third of the weekend with a solo home run to start the sixth inning.
FIU answered with its only run-scoring frame of the contest with a three-run seventh inning. The Panthers manufactured the runs on three hits and benefited from a wild pitch in the inning.
Jax State starter
Jackson Sleeper turned in his best start of his Gamecock career with six strong innings and five strikeouts in the outing. Sleeper scattered five FIU hits and walked just one Panther. Junior
Colby Morse and freshman
Colin Woodham limited FIU to a pair of hits and combined for six strikeouts over the final 3.2 innings. Woodham picked up his second win on the mound.
Outside of Walters' pair of hits and three RBI, junior
Brennen Norton collected three hits and reached base four times in the contest. Junior
Drew Collins and sophomore
Bear Madliak contributed hits.
The Gamecocks will be looking for a Conference USA sweep on Sunday with the series finale starting at 1 p.m. Tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com. Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
Sunday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
