JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State dropped another tough Friday night Conference USA contest, 9-8, to Liberty on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

Liberty was down to its final out trailing 5-2 when a Jax State fielding miscue ignited the Flames with a three-run rally after the error on the infield. LU lashed a double down the left field line to cut it to a one-run game. Tanner Marsh delivered a single to plate the tying run.

The Flames sent seven men to plate after the first out was recorded. A bloop double started the four-run 10th, followed by back-to-back RBI singles from Marsh and Jaxon Sorenson. LU held a comfortable 9-5 lead heading into the home half of the inning.

Jax State showed life from the start of the inning with a single from Sam Silas, followed by a pair of walks by Cooper Blauser and Brady Thomas. Grayson Ashe picked up an RBI with a bases-loaded walk. Junior Caleb Johnson singled to right field to trim the deficit down to a run with the tying run on third. LU's Josh Swain staved off the Gamecocks with a strikeout to end the contest.

LU took the early lead with a two-out, two-run single in the first inning off of Jax State starter Jackson Phipps. Those two runs would be the only ones off Phipps as he settled into the contest to keep the Flames from extending the lead in his five innings of work. He finished with seven strikeouts and allowed just one more LU after the first inning.

Junior Ace Willaimson, who collected his seventh hit over the last six games when he is penciled in the nine spot in the Jax State lineup, delivered an RBI double to put the Gamecocks on the scoreboard.

Silas, who had two hits after pinch hitting in the fifth, laid down a bunt single and forced an errant throw to allow Jax State to even the contest. The Gamecocks took the lead on a Blauser sacrifice fly.

Junior Karson Bonaparte made his first appearance in relief this season. Bonaparte shut down the Flames with a season-high seven strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work. After the miscue in the ninth, Jax State went with Joe Scarborough and Owen Arndt to keep it knotted up at 5-5. LU touched Arndt for three runs in the 10th and was saddled with the loss.

For the second CUSA weekend in a row, the Gamecocks will be looking to bounce-back on Saturday to even the series. First pitch at The Jim is set for 6 p.m.Tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.