JACKSONVILLE—A nine-run third was more than enough to help Jax State complete a three-game sweep of Akron on Sunday.
The Gamecocks came away with an 11-3 victory and outscored the Zips 24-4 over the series. The win moved Jax State to 7-1 for the first time since 2000.
Jax State bounced back from a 1-2-3 first by plating two in the second on a two-out, two-run double by Trey Majette to right field for his first two RBI of the season. Akron answered in the top of the third with a two-out single, a hit batsman, and a two-run single to left to tie the game.
The Gamecocks responded in a big way in the third by sending 13 to the plate and scoring nine runs. Cooper Blauser gave the Gamecocks the lead right back with his third double in eight games to the left centerfield wall to score Drew Collins, who led off the inning with a walk. Caleb Johnson brought Blauser home with his third double of the season down the right field line.
"Those innings, they're a lot of fun," said coach Steve Bieser of the third. "I got to stepping up to the plate and just being really confident and getting off good swings and just, continuing to move the line. You run 13 guys to the plate. That's usually a pretty good day."
Grayson Ashe hit a two-run single to left to run his season RBI total to six and give the Gamecocks a 6-2 lead and force a pitching change. Ace Williamson's 405-foot, two-run homer to the scoreboard in right center made it 8-2 with just one out. Colton Hegwood brought home Majette, who walked, with a double to right center for the seventh run of the inning.
Johnson's second double of the inning scored Hegwood and Blauser for the ninth run of third.
"He's been pressing a little bit and kind of chasing and swinging out of the zone," said Bieser of Johnson. "We've been talking to him about controlling the strike zone and not forcing the game, letting the game come to you. And then I thought he did a much better job today."
Akron loaded the bases in the seventh, but Jackson Sleeper came out of the bullpen to get a 6-4-3 double play on his only pitch of the outing to end the inning.
The Gamecock bullpen held the Zips to just one which came on a sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth and one hit over five innings of work. James Wilson picked up his first win of the season with two strikeouts in two in two scoreless frames.
Steven Cash struck out three over four innings of work to start the game and allowed two earned on three hits.
Six of Jax State's eight hits were for extra bases.
The Gamecocks will play their first road game of the season on Tuesday when they head to Tuscaloosa to take on the Crimson Tide at 4 p.m. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network+, the online platform of the SEC Network. The game will also be carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
