RUSTON, La. — Jax State scored five unanswered runs to rally and win the middle game over Louisiana Tech, 5-3, securing the series on Saturday afternoon at J.C. Love Field.
The Gamecocks clinch their third-straight Conference USA series and will look to make it a third-straight sweep on Sunday.
Chase Horst collected the victory as the Jax State pitcher who was active when the lead changed in the top of the ninth inning. Skyler Hutto claimed his sixth save of the year and earned saves on back-to-back days.
The Bulldogs (15-13, 4-4 CUSA) scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning with a bases-loaded walk. They would add to the lead in the next frame with a solo homer to right field to make it 2-0, followed by a sac fly to expand the lead to 3-0.
Jax State (23-5, 8-0 CUSA) took to the board in the top of the fourth inning with a sac fly from Cooper Blauser, scoring Caleb Johnson and cutting into the lead. The Gamecocks would chip into the lead again in the top of the sixth, when Johnson's RBI-single to shallow center scored Jaxon Pate from second base.
Johnson would hit the equalizer in the top of the eighth inning, sending a solo homer of his own to the berms in right-center.
Grayson Ashe came through with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning, blasting a homer to left field, giving Jax State its first lead of the day at 4-3.
An insurance run would come later in the same frame, when Greg LaChance reached base on a throwing error from the LA Tech third baseman, allowing Matthew Cash to plate a run to make it 5-3.
Hutto came in to start the ninth inning of the contest, and had two runners on with two outs. Hutto faced the top of the order and got the Bulldogs leadoff man to strike out, ending the threat and securing the series.
The Gamecocks will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon at The Love Shack. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m., with Steven Cash taking the mound for Jax State. LA Tech has not yet announced a starter.
