JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State will honor its senior class prior to Sunday's series finale with Middle Tennessee, but senior pitcher Will Baker will remember Saturday's contest after a complete game outing to even the series with MTSU after a 9-2 win at The Jim.

Jax State with its postseason fate on the line heading into Saturday's middle game of the three-game series after the Blue Raiders rallied for a 12-9 win on Friday night, Baker's effort and the offensive production in the middle of the lineup, sets up a critical rubber game of the series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Tickets for the home finale are available at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.

After MTSU led off the game with a single up the middle off of Baker, the Mount Olive, Alabama lefty shutdown the Blue Raiders' bats the rest of the contest. He limited MTSU to three other hits throughout the outing after the leadoff single. The Blue Raiders' first run was an unearned run in third inning and the only earned run for MTSU was a one-out solo home run in the eighth inning. Baker collected six strikeouts and walked just two Blue Raiders. He faced 30 batters and tossed 107 pitches on the night. Baker's complete game was the second one turned in by a Gamecock pitcher this season. Junior Austin Cornelius tossed a complete game at Georgia State on April 29.

Jax State's offense handed Baker an early three-run lead to work with after sophomore Bear Madliak's opposite field two-run double keyed the first inning. Junior Logan Walters turned in a sacrifice fly for the third run of the inning. Madliak was one of five Gamecocks to have two hits each in the lineup. The three-through-seven spots in the order all gave MTSU pitchers trouble on the night.

Senior Derrick Jackson, Jr. has started his senior weekend strong with his second home run of the series after a home run in Friday's opener. The Huntsville, Alabama first baseman delivered a 414-foot blast to centerfield in the fifth inning to expand the lead to 4-1.

The Gamecocks broke the game open with five runs in the seventh inning with four of the five runs coming with two outs after an MTSU error opened the door for the big inning. Junior Brennen Norton capped off the inning with a two-run single.
Sophomore Caleb Johnson and freshman Sam Silas joined Madliak, Jackson, Jr. and Walters with two hits in the win. Norton, Madliak and Walters had multiple RBI on Saturday.

For Sunday's contest at The Jim, Gamecock fans will be treated to the tunes of the famed Atlanta Braves organist, Matthew Kaminski, who will be playing during Sunday's series finale on Mother's Day. Jax State will honor its four seniors prior to the Sunday outing.

The Sunday matinee will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.