JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State put together a late rally on Saturday night, but dropped a 7-4 decision to Dallas Baptist on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

DBU's win cliches the series after opening the weekend with an 8-1 win over Jax State on Friday night. The Gamecocks will be looking to salvage the final game of the weekend with Sunday's series finale. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.

Trailing 7-1 to start the eighth inning, Senior Drew Collins started the rally with a lead off home run over the left field fence. After Collins greeted DBU's new pitcher with his third home run of the season, freshman Cade Miles singled to left followed by back-to-back walks by freshman Matthew Cash and junior Colton Hegwood walked to load the bases and set the table for the top of the Jax State lineup. Junior Caleb Johnson lashed an RBI single to right field and senior Carson Hornung lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield for the second and third run of the inning. Redshirt Cooper Blauser loaded the bases again after he was hit by a pitch. DBU escaped further damage with a double play to end the rally.

The Gamecocks could not get timely hits throughout the contest as they left 14 on base, including three times with the base loaded in the setback. Jax State out-hit DBU, 10-8, in the Saturday contest.

Jax State had a chance early to put a big number on the board, but was limited to the lone run in the first inning. The Gamecocks manufactured the run after two outs in the inning. Blauser kept the inning alive with a double followed by back-to-back infield singles from junior Ace Williamson and junior Grayson Ashe, who was credited with the RBI.

DBU put together two big run-scoring frames in the third and in the seventh inning. A two-run home run by Grant Jay erased a 1-0 deficit, followed by an unearned run in the frame to take a 3-1 lead. The Patriots would nurse that lead until the seventh inning when the offense scored four runs to push the advantage to 7-1. The Patriots strung together three hits in the frame, but just one cost the Gamecocks in the inning.

Williamson led the Gamecocks' offense with three hits, while Collins had two hits in his final two trips to the plate – the lead off home run and a single to start the ninth inning. Blauser finished with a pair of hits to give him 10 multi-hit games this season. Hornung extended his on-base streak with a walk late in the contest.

DBU's bullpen keyed the series-clinching win as Jerrod Jenkins picks up the win in relief, while Mason Peters tossed the final 1.2 innings to earn a save.

Jax State's Steven Cash suffered a tough loss after six complete innings before running into trouble to start the seventh. He posted four strikeouts in the outing.

Tickets for Sunday's weekend wrap up 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.