JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State raced out to an 8-0 lead after three innings and held on for an 11-8 win over in-state rival UAB on Tuesday night in college baseball action on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
The Gamecocks (17-29) started fast with a pair of runs in the first inning, highlighted by a triple and the first of three Blazer miscues, from reigning Conference USA Hitter of the Week,
Brennen Norton. Norton continued to blister the baseball with a triple to centerfield and a throwing error allowed him to score the first run. Norton finished with a pair of hits along with an RBI on a sacrifice fly. He added a single in the two-run seventh inning. Dating back to the New Mexico State series (nine games), Norton is 19-of-34 (.559), including six extra base hits and driving in 12 runs.
Jax State put together back-to-back three spots in the second and third innings. Junior
Drew Collins collected two of his game-high three RBI with a two-run single in the second inning. Collins added his third RBI in the third inning with a sacrifice fly. Sophomore
Hank Smith, making his third start of the season at catcher, posted his first career hit as part of Jax State's four hits in the inning. Freshman
Sam Silas recorded a two-hit night with his second single scoring a run in the fourth inning.
With an eight-run cushion, junior
Austin Cornelius kept the Blazers' bats off balanced for five innings. Cornelius, who tossed a complete game a week ago at Georgia State, scattered seven UAB hits, registered five strikeouts and did not walk a Blazer en route to moving to 3-3 on the season with the win.
The Gamecocks expanded the lead with a single run in the sixth inning and two more runs in the seventh inning. Junior
Logan Walters lifted the ball to right field for the third sacrifice fly on the evening for Jax State in the sixth inning. Junior
Matthew Albritton delivered a two-out, pinch hit RBI single.
Jax State would need those insurance runs after the Blazers mounted a rally with six runs in the eighth to make it a tight contest again. Senior
Sam Maynard finished the final 1.1 innings to seal the win for the Gamecocks.
Jax State, fighting for one of the eight spots in the Conference USA Tournament, will host Middle Tennessee in the final CUSA home series of the season. The Gamecocks are one-game back of the Blue Raiders as the stretch run begins this weekend. The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m. on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. Tickets for the series are available at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
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.
All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
