JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State split a Friday doubleheader with Southeast Missouri on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
The Gamecocks made quick work of their former conference rival in the series opener, 11-1, in seven innings. The Redhawks bounced-back in the night cap, 3-1, in a pitchers duel.
Pitching highlighted both games as Jax State junior
Jackson Phipps turned in a complete game performance in game one, while SEMO's Nathan Mertens kept Jax State off-balanced at the plate for seven innings and posting nine strikeouts.
After a short outing last weekend at Ole Miss, the Dallas, Georgia-lefty returned to form on Friday with his longest outing of the season. Phipps scattered three SEMO hits in the appearance and shut clipped the Redhawks over the final six frames after a first inning run. He finished with five strikeouts in a 104-pitch performance.
Jax State broke a 1-1 draw with an RBI single from freshman
Matthew Cash in the fourth inning. Cash's RBI was the first of two on the day as he drove in the Gamecocks' lone run in the second game on an RBI double in the eighth inning. Jax State broke open the one-run contest with four runs in the fifth and added the five runs with two outs in the sixth to end the game on the 10-run rule. It was Jax State's second consecutive win by run-rule after an identical score last Tuesday versus No. 21 Troy.
Junior
Caleb Johnson and junior
Carson Hornung finished the game with two hits each, while redshirt sophomore
Cooper Blauser drove in three runs. The Gamecocks took advantage of 10 walks by the SEMO pitching staff along with three wild pitches and a pair of hit batters.
In the second game, junior
Steven Cash matched SEMO's Mertens for the first six innings. The Louisiana transfer tossed six shutout innings before a leadoff double by SEMO in the seventh inning started a three-run inning. Cash, who was solid last Friday against the Rebels, was equally impressive against the Redhawks with issuing a pair of hits and registering three strikeouts.
SEMO broke the scoreless deadlock with a bases loaded walk by Gunnar Doyle. The Redhawks plated insurance runs with a two-out pinch-hit RBI single by Carson Schrack.
Jax State looked to have a big inning in the eighth after a leadoff single from
Sam Silas, who scored on
Matthew Cash's double. SEMO's Jackson Kranawetter pitched the final two innings for his third save of the season.
The series will be idle on Saturday due to the potential for severe weather in the state of Alabama on Saturday. Sunday's rubber game will be at 1 p.m.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
Tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old are admitted free.
