Jax State baseball goes 2-1 against New Mexico State
· Yahoo Sports
Apparently, Jacksonville State’s pitchers didn’t take too kindly to being roughed up in Friday’s opener against New Mexico State. The Gamecocks responded with back-to-back shutouts of the Aggies to close out the weekend at Jim Case Stadium.
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Here’s a recap of Jacksonville State’s 2-1 series victory over New Mexico State:
Sunday
Jax State senior left-hander Steven Cash went the distance as the Gamecocks needed only seven innings to defeat the Aggies 10-0.
Cash improved to 6-2 on the season, striking out five while allowing just four hits and two walks.
He got plenty of run support from his Jax State teammates.
Caleb Johnson, Jaxon Pate and Trey King each went 2-for-4. Johnson roped a two-run triple in the fourth inning and scored twice. Pate finished with two runs scored and two RBIs. King added a single and a double, along with an RBI and a run scored.
Brady Thomas hit a solo home run and scored twice. Grayson Ashe singled, drew two walks, scored once and drove in a run. Ace Williamson also scored twice, while Cooper Blauser and Luke Williams each added an RBI.
Saturday
Jax State rode strong pitching performances from starter Beau Bryans and reliever Jackson Sleeper to a 4-0 shutout of New Mexico State.
Bryans improved to 5-0 on the season while matching his season high with 10 strikeouts. The senior left-hander allowed four hits and four walks over 6⅓ innings.
Sleeper earned his fourth save of the season, retiring all seven batters he faced. He recorded one strikeout over 2⅔ innings.
Offensively, the Gamecocks scored two runs in both the second and third innings.
King delivered a two-run triple in the second inning, driving in Williams and Ashe.
In the third, Pate scored on a sacrifice bunt by Blauser, and Johnson came home on a throwing error by New Mexico State third baseman Chris Daniels.
Pate finished 2-for-3 with a double. Johnson, Blauser, Ashe and Thomas each added a single.
Friday
New Mexico State launched three home runs off two of Jax State’s top pitchers and secured a 6-3 win in the opener.
Aidan Taclas delivered the decisive blow with a three-run home run off closer Skyler Hutto in the ninth inning.
The Aggies also struck against starter Eli Pillsbury in the third inning, as Boston Vest opened the scoring with a solo home run and Daniels followed later in the frame with a two-run blast.
Pillsbury lasted just 3⅔ innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and four walks. Maddox McDougall came on in relief and struck out all seven batters he faced.
Offensively, the Gamecocks got a solo home run from King in the fourth inning and a two-run single from Williams in the seventh, which tied the game at 3–3.
King, Williams, Thomas and Williamson each recorded two hits for Jax State. Pate, Johnson, Ashe and Greg LaChance added singles. Johnson and Thomas each stole a base and scored a run.
Next up
Jax State (36-9, 18-3 Conference USA) begins a four-game road trip this week. The Gamecocks will face Samford in Birmingham on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Springfield, Mo., for a three-game weekend series against Missouri State.