JACKSONVILLE – Junior Jackson Phipps turned in a career performance on Friday night to lead Jacksonville State to a 4-2 win over Louisiana Tech at The Jim.

Phipps tossed career-long seven innings and collected a career-best nine strikeouts, while the Jax State offense was powered by a pair of home runs. With the series-opening win over the Bulldogs, the Gamecocks clinched a spot in the 2025 Conference USA Baseball Tournament that begins on May 21 in Lynchburg, Va.

Phipps' outing was very efficient with just over 100 pitches in his long stint of the season. The Dallas, Georgia lefty limited LA Tech to just three hits – two leaving the infield. He walked a pair of lead off batters, but was able to worked around both free passes. He passed the pitching duties to redshirt junior Jackson Sleeper for the final two frames. Sleeper finished with four strikeouts. LA Tech's two runs came on a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth.

The Gamecocks handed Phipps a lead to work with in the second inning after a solo home run from junior catcher Grayson Ashe. It was his 10th of the season to lead all Jax State hitters this season. Junior Colten Hegwood added a two-out RBI single.

Pitching with a lead, Phipps retired 8-of-the-next-10 batters he faced through the fifth inning before Jax State padded the lead with a two-run home run by senior Carson Hornung. A two-out single from Drew Collins ahead of Hornung kept the frame alive for the Jax State designated hitter to drill a two-run home run down the left field line inside the foul pole. It was his fifth of the season and third in CUSA play. Collins' hit extended his on-base streak to 17 games.

Collins and Hornung will be honored on Senior Day prior to the start of Saturday's contest.

With the pair of home runs, Jax State's power has heated up over the last 14 games. The Gamecocks have now hit 22-of-their-43 home runs over the last 14 games. Ashe's solo shot was his seventh over that same time frame. He led the Gamecocks with two hits on the night. He has now reached base in 19-of-the-last 20 games.

Junior Brady Thomas, junior Caleb Johnson had a hit in the win.

Due to the potential for heavy rain in the area on Saturday night, Game 2 of the series with LA Tech has been moved up to 2 p.m. Tickets are available 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.