KENNESAW, Ga. — A five-run top of the ninth inning over Middle Tennessee secured a semifinal spot for the top-seeded Jax State Gamecocks on Thursday afternoon.
Jax State improved to 43-13 with the win, while the Blue Raiders fell to 26-31. The loss ended the Blue Raiders season after they fell to 0-2 in pool play.
Steven Cash earned his eighth win of the year, becoming the first pitcher since Joe McGuire in 2017 to earn eight wins in a year. Chase Horst earned his second save of his career with an inning and a third of shutout baseball. Horst came in during the bottom of the eighth inning in a 4-3 game. MTSU's Chandler Alderman fell to 2-5 after giving up the first four runs of the game, including the go-ahead run before he left the game.
The Gamecocks plated the first run of the game in the top of the first, when Brady Thomas reached on a fielder's choice, bringing Jaxon Pate home.
The Blue Raiders tied the game in the bottom of the third with a solo homer by Brett Vondohlen.
In the top of the fourth inning, Cooper Blauser lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing Grayson Ashe home to reclaim the lead. MTSU answered in the home half of the same frame with a two-run homer from Cooper Clapp, taking their first lead of the day at 3-2.
The Blue Raiders held the lead until the top of the sixth inning, when a RBI-single knocked by Trey King brought Thomas home to tie the game at 3-3. An RBI-double from Blauser returned King to the plate to take a 4-3 lead.
The Gamecocks plated five runs in the top of the ninth inning for insurance, starting with a solo homer from Luke Williams, his first home run since March 13 at Sam Houston, taking a 5-3 lead. An RBI-single by Ashe scored Ace Williamson, and an RBI-double by Thomas scored Caleb Johnson, ballooning the lead up to 7-3. Ashe returned home on a wild pitch, and King's RBI-double was the dagger, making the lead 9-3, the eventual final.
With the victory, Jax State has guaranteed themselves a spot in the semifinals. Even if Jax State were to lose tomorrow, they would be the highest-seeded team with a 1-1 record, securing a spot on Saturday.
The Gamecocks will take on sixth-seeded Western Kentucky on Friday morning to determine the winner of Pool A. First pitch has been moved up to 11:30 a.m. CT in anticipation of weather in the later part of the day.
