BIRMINGHAM – Jacksonville State wrapped up its five-game road trip with a 4-1 win over UAB on Tuesday evening at Young Memorial Field.

The Gamecocks, who have visited the Birmingham area on consecutive Tuesdays, will be taking back wins to Calhoun County after knocking off Samford in extra innings a week ago. The win is also the first for Jax State against the Blazers at their on-campus facility since 2013 and the first victory over UAB in Birmingham since the 2019 season. The two clubs will wrap up the home-and-home set on April 22 on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

In all five games of the road trip, Jax State has jumped on the opposition early. That was the case once again versus the Blazers with the Gamecocks tagging three runs against UAB's Braxton Shelton. Jax State strung together four hits, highlighted by a pair of RBI doubles from redshirt freshman Cooper Blauser and junior Ace Williamson in the three-run second inning. Senior Drew Collins collected an RBI with a single. Junior Grayson Asge added the fourth hit of the frame.

Jax State freshman Maddox McDougall earned his first career start after an impressive 3.1 innings of work last Tuesday at Samford. The righty from Wesley Chapel, Florida was equally impressive on the other side of Birmingham against UAB. He was in line for the win after bettering his career marks with 5.0 innings of work. He held the Blazers to one hit and posted four strikeouts. McDougall moved to 2-0 on the season. The defense behind him as superb as well throughout the night with plays made on the infield and great grabs in the outfield.

The Gamecocks extended the lead in the fourth with a two-out RBI from junior Caleb Johnson.

Johnson's hit would be Jax State's last until Williamson recorded his second double of the night to start the ninth inning. The six arms used out of the UAB bullpen kept the Gamecocks from breaking the game open.

UAB's lone run came in the seventh inning with an RBI single by Gavin Lewis, Jr.

After Lewis, Jr.'s RBI, Jax State went to junior Jackson Sleeper. The Franklin, Tennessee native was able to induce a pop up in foul territory and strikeout the next two Blazers to halt the big inning by UAB. Sleeper has been solid in his last four outings as he has held the opposition to no runs over the last 8.2 innings he has worked. He turned in three strikeouts in his three frames to collect his first save of the season and of his career as a Gamecock.

Junior Carson Hornung turned in a single and a walk to extend his on-base streak to 18 consecutive games.

The Gamecocks return home this weekend for their Conference USA home-opening series with Liberty visiting Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium for the first time. Jax State has made back-to-back trips to Lynchburg in 2023 in the ASUN and 2024 as CUSA members. Series begins on Friday at 6 p.m.

Tickets for the CUSA clash with the Flames are available at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.