JACKSONVILLE – Middle Tennessee scored three runs in the fourth inning and limited the Jacksonville State offense in a 3-2 win on Sunday to claim the Conference USA series on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

In a crucial series for both clubs with aspirations of making the eight-team CUSA Baseball Tournament field, the winner of the series would have the advantage of that final spot as the last weekend of the regular season approaches. The Blue Raiders exited Jacksonville with a 7-14 mark in league games, while thw Gamecocks dropped to 5-16 in CUSA play. For Jax State to surpass MTSU for a tourney bid, it will need to sweep Sam Houston in Huntsville, Texas this week and for MTSU to get swept by Dallas Baptist, who will enter the weekend tied for first place in the league standings.

MTSU collected three hits against junior Austin Cornelius, including a two-run double for the first runs of the Sunday affair. The Blue Raiders extended the lead on a sacrifice fly in the frame. MTSU would nurse that lead the rest of the way after a solid pitching performance from Trace Phillips. Phillips kept Jax State's bats off balanced for 7.0 innings and fanned nine Gamecocks. Phillips scattered four hits and waled a pair.

Phillips' lone mistake of the outing was a leadoff home run by sophomore Bear Madliak in the fourth inning after being handed a lead. Madliak had a pair of hits off of Phillips and would finish with three hits in the setback with a pair of singles in the sixth and eighth innings.

Jax State had a plethora of chances for a big inning late in the contest, including a bases loaded one-out situation, but MTSU induced an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam. The Gamecocks plated a run on senior Derrick Jackson, Jr.'s RBI walk. Jax State stranded nine base runners in the loss. MTSU's Patrick Johnson recorded the final two outs in the ninth inning to preserve the win.

The Gamecocks' top of the lineup paced the offense with Johnson having a pair of hits. Junior Brennen Norton and freshman Gabe Young each had a hit.

Jax State will travel to Kennesaw, Georgia on Tuesday to close out the non-conference alter before heading back to the state of Texas for the SHSU series that begins on Thursday night. The KSU match up is scheduled for a 5 p.m. CT start.

First pitch between the Gamecocks and Bearkats on Thursday is set for 6:30 p.m. All three game sof the series will be carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.