Photo Courtesy of KSU Athletics
The Owls dropped Saturday night’s rubber match against Jacksonville State to lose the series 2-1 at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field.
The Owls played three closely contested games with Jacksonville State last weekend in their second home Conference USA series.
The Owls started off the series on Friday with a tough 6-5 loss. Due to Sunday’s storms, the Owls had to pivot and prepare for a doubleheader on Saturday. A 6-4 win by KSU set up a tense rubber match going into the final game of the series.
In Friday’s game, both teams were held scoreless through the fourth inning. KSU scored first runs of the game in the home half of the fifth with a double RBI by Cooper Williams, scoring Aaron Posey and Wesley Alig.
JSU came in hot in the top of the sixth, hoping to cut into the Owls’ lead.
The Gamecocks’ bats caught fire as they scored six runs in the top of the sixth alone, gaining a four-run lead. The Owls scored on unusual back-to-back balks by JSU, bringing home Cam Suto in the bottom frame.
KSU held the Gamecocks scoreless for the remainder of the game and brought in two more runs, but fell short 6-5.
Saturday’s first game sparked hope for the Owls. Yet again, the two teams held each other scoreless in the opening innings.
KSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double by Nate Anderson, bringing in Jackson Chirello. Posey singled to bring Anderson home, and an Alig single scored Posey. Down 3-0, the Gamecocks slowly chipped away at their deficit through the seventh inning.
In the fifth inning, the Gamecocks scored on a two-run homerun. Following an uneventful sixth inning, JSU scored again on a homerun in the top frame of the seventh.
Tied 3-3, the Owls pushed back in the eighth as Anderson dribbled a hit into right field, scoring Chirello.
The Gamecocks answered back, however. A final RBI by JSU sent the game into two additional innings. The tenth inning was quiet, but the Owls came prepared to win as Alig stepped up to the plate. Pinch hitter Jackson Bradfield singled, and Alig smacked a walk-off homerun, ending the second game of the series in a 6-4 KSU win.
The Gamecocks and Owls geared up for their second game of the day 50 minutes later, preparing for a challenging rubber match.
The Gamecocks scored one run in the second inning and a two-run homerun in the third. After a scoreless fourth inning, JSU tacked on three more runs, swelling their lead to 6-0.
Down 6-0 in the bottom frame, KSU earned one run back on a Williams homerun.
JSU forged ahead with two runs in the top of the seventh, giving them a 7-0 advantage. KSU roared back, as the Owls scrapped to make a comeback in the home half.
Posey walked in a run with bases loaded, followed by an RBI single by Shamaar McDuffie. Chris Cole hit into a double play, bringing the deficit to 8-4. Anderson and Donovan Casheach doubled, scoring two more runs for the Owls.
Despite the Owls’ efforts to comeback, two final scoreless innings ultimately led to a 8-6 loss. KSU walked away defeated in their second series of CUSA.
The Owls will play in their third CUSA series against Sam Houston starting this Friday in Huntsville, Texas.
