HUNTSVILLE, Texas — With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Skyler Hutto struck out the final batter of the game to stymie Sam Houston's comeback attempt, earning Jax State a 3-1 victory to open Conference USA play on Friday night at Don Sanders Stadium.

Hutto earned his fourth save of the season in the win. Starting pitcher Eli Pillsbury pitched a gem, going facing the minimum through 16 batters before allowing a base runner, finishing his night with 74 pitches in 6.2 innings of work, only giving up a single run. Pillsbury struck out six during his outing.

Jax State improves to 15-3, winning 15 of its previous 16 games to date. Sam Houston falls to 8-9 after the loss.

The win also marks the first time that Jax State has won its conference opener in CUSA play.

Both sides pitched extremely well through the game, only conceding six hits each. The first run of the game did not come until the top of the third inning, when Luke Williams led off the inning with a solo home run to right field to break the scoreless draw.

Jax State added to its lead in the top of the fifth inning, starting with a sac fly from Caleb Johnson that scored Greg LaChance. Matthew Cash followed with an RBI-double that scored Williams to take a 3-0 lead over the Bearkats.

Sam Houston would not respond until the bottom of the seventh inning, when an RBI-single scored a runner from second base, cutting into the lead at 3-1.

After a quiet bottom of the eighth inning where Maddox McDougall picked up two strikeouts, the Bearkats were able to load the bases with back-to-back singles with one out, followed by a wild pitch to advance the runners and then a walk to load the bases with two outs. Hutto was brought in to deal with a pinch hitter, who he was able to get swinging to strikeout after pushing the count full.

The Gamecocks tightened the overall series with Sam Houston, earning its third win of the series to make it 4-3 in favor of the Bearkats.

Jax State looks to clinch the series tomorrow at Don Sanders Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.