BIRMINGHAM – For the second consecutive game, Jacksonville State was down to its last at bat needing a rally as it tied Samford in the ninth with a lead off home run and plated a pair of runs in the 10th inning to claim another extra inning affair, 6-4, over the Bulldogs at J.L Griffin Field on Tuesday night.

Trailing 4-3 to start the ninth inning, junior shortstop Caleb Johnson picked a perfect time to deliver his first home run of the season with a blast over the right field wall. The Bulldogs had a chance to walk it off, but junior Joe Scarborough got out of the jam to give Jax State life in extra innings.

Jax State opened the extra frame with a lead off walk from junior Grayson Ashe. After a wild pitch put a Gamecock in scoring position and junior Ace Williamson walked, Senior Drew Collins laid down a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away down the right field line, scoring the go-ahead run. Junior Colton Hegwood delivered a productive out to the right side of the infield to give Jax State a two-run cushion in the bottom of the inning.

Junior Austin Williamson made his Jax State debut in the Samford 10th inning. The transfer from South Carolina transfer worked around a pair of singles and end the game with the bases loaded full of 'Dogs with a ground ball to third base.

Jax State was down to its last out and strike last Sunday in the series finale against Southeast Missouri before redshirt freshman Cooper Blauser belted a two-run home run in the ninth. The Gamecocks went on to win it in 10 innings with an RBI single from freshman Trey Majette. The win completes the season sweep of the Bulldogs for the Gamecocks after a 12-6 win on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. It is the first time Jax State has claimed both games of the season against Samford since 2022.

Jax State jumped on the scoreboard early with a double steal. Hegwood swiped home after reaching base on a double. Johnson picked up his first of two hits on the night with a single in the first inning.

The Bulldogs plated three runs in the fourth inning to take the lead but it was short-lived as the Gamecocks scored a run on a Brady Thomas RBI double and equalized after a wild pitch.

Samford would regain the lead in its half of the fifth with a two-out RBI. Both bullpens were extended in the midweek clash as neither offense could get separation. The two clubs combined to strand 26 on base and a total of 28 strikeouts between the two lineups.

Freshman Maddox McDougall kept it a one-run contest over the final 3.1 innings with six strikeouts and just one Bulldog hit. Scarborough picked up his second win of the season and Williamson earned his first save at Jax State.

Williamson joined Johnson with multiple hits in the victory, while junior Carson Hornung walked three times to extend his on-base streak to 14 games.

For the second consecutive season, Jax State will open its Conference USA slate on the road with a trip to Miami, Florida to face FIU. The series with the Panthers will get started on Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT The series continues through the weekend with a 4 p.m. CT first pitch and will wrap up on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.