Jacksonville State completed the season sweep of in-state rival Samford after a 6-3 win over the Bulldogs at Joe Lee Griffin Field on Tuesday night.
Combined with JSU's 9-2 win over Samford in Jacksonville on March 22, it was the first time since 2010 that JSU has claimed both games in a single season. The Gamecocks improved to 16-18 on the season and will now turn their attention to the beginning of the second half of ASUN West Division action this weekend on their home turf of Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium,hosting Lipscomb. JSU opened league activity with the Bisons in Nashville in March and left the Music City with a conference-opening sweep. Jax State begins the second half of the league slate at 9-6, while the Bisons enter the weekend at 10-5 in the ASUN West and atop the division standings going into the weekend.
The series begins on Friday with a 6 p.m. start, followed by a 6 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. The series wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com and all JSU students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. All three games will also be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
The Gamecocks got off to a great start in the Tuesday tussle with the Bulldogs with three runs in the first and added a fourth run in the second inning. JSU took advantage of ineffectiveness from the Bulldogs' starter with an bases on balls RBI from junior Carson Crowe and a two-RBI single from senior Alex Carignan, who made his first start of the season at first base. Crowe added a second RBI in the second inning with a ground out.
Samford began chipping away at the 4-0 deficit with a solo home run in the second and a run in the third. JSU senior Dylan Hathcock squashed a Samford scoring threat in the third with a strikeout and an inning-ending double play ball.
The big hit in the game for the Gamecocks happened in the fifth inning as senior Alex Strachan delivered a two-run home run that nailed Samford's new scoreboard in left field. It was the sixth home run of the season for Strachan and proved to be a big point in the game.
The Bulldogs trimmed the lead to three runs in the sixth and had a chance for a big inning in the seventh with the bases loaded in the inning. JSU's Reid Fagerstrom recorded the last two outs in the inning to preserve the three-run lead.
After Strachan's hit the Samford bullpen kept JSU off the scoreboard over the last four innings.
Sophomore Mason Maners was the lone Gamecock to have multiple hits as he had a pair of singles in his first two plate appearances. Senior Cole Frederick, junior T.J. Reeves and freshman Brennen Norton all posted hits in the contest.
Jax State used the contest as a bullpen outing with freshman Tanner Jones making a midweek start. He picked up the win to move to 2-3 on the season, while senior Trey Fortner, junior Isaiah Magwood, Caleb Mash and AJ Causey all saw time on the mound. Causey tossed a clean final two innings for register his sixth save of the season.
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