LYNCHBURG, Va. — Jax State was walked off by Liberty, 7-6, in the middle game of the Conference USA series on Saturday afternoon at Worthington Field.
The loss drops Jax State to 29-7 and 13-1 in CUSA play, while Liberty moves to 24-10 and 10-4 in league play.
Skyler Hutto was tagged with the loss by giving up the final run, while Cooper Harrington was tagged with the win.
Jax State took the early lead with an RBI-groundout by Cooper Blauser in the top of the first, but the Flames answered in the home half of the same frame with a score on a wild pitch.
The score remained at 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning when an RBI-single from Liberty gave the Flames a 2-1 lead.
The Gamecocks took a one-run lead in the top of the sixth with an RBI-double from Grayson Ashe, plating Caleb Johnson, followed by an RBI-single from Trey King, scoring Ashe, now leading 3-2.
Liberty answered with a two-run homer to left field, taking a 4-3 lead after six.
In the top of the seventh, Jax State, again, took the lead with three runs scored, starting with a two-RBI double down the right field line by Jonson, scoring Jaxon Pate and Matthew Cash. Brady Thomas returned Johnson home on an infield hit, making it 6-4 Gamecocks.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Liberty tied the game with a two-RBI single up the middle, knotting the score at 6-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Flames walked off Jax State with an RBI-single to send the winning run home.
Both sides used their closers for the final 2.0+ innings.
Jax State suffered its first loss in CUSA play with the loss, but set the record for the best start in CUSA play by any team at 13-0.
The Gamecocks will play in its first rubber match of the season on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. central, 1 p.m. local time.
