JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Jacksonville State plated four runs in the sixth inning to go on to hand Gardner-Webb a 9-3 loss on Friday evening.
 
Gardner-Webb falls to 5-4 overall while Jacksonville State now stands at 4-4 on the year.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs claimed an early lead in the top of the second.  Carter Cunningham led off the frame with a base knock to right field, followed by a double to deep center field by Joe Brazil.  That set up a RBI groundout by Ben Rowdon to push Cunningham across the plate, giving GWU a 1-0 advantage.
 
JSU answered in the bottom of the second, tying the game on a RBI triple to the right field gap by Chase Robinson.
 
Gardner-Webb scored once again in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Eric Jones that scored Ben LaSpaluto, who led off with a bunt single.
 
The Gamecocks answered once again in the bottom half of the third, scoring on an Alex Strachan double to set the score at 2-2
 
Strachan gave Jacksonville State the lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring one run on his second double of the evening.
 
JSU seized control of the bout in the bottom of the sixth. Tre Kirklin belted a two-run home run over the left field wall, followed by a wild pitch that allowed Cole Frederick to score and a RBI double by Alex Carignan to set the score at 7-2.
 
Jacksonville State tacked on another pair of runs in the seventh on RBI singles by Javier Ramirez and Andrew Naismith.
 
Gardner-Webb scored once more in the top of the ninth.  Ben Rowdon led the inning off with a double to right field and would later score on a passed ball.
 
Dylan Hathcock (2-1) earned the win on the mound for Jacksonville State, allowing two runs on four base hits with six strikeouts in six innings of work.  Trey Fortner tossed two scoreless frames, scattering three base hits with three strikeouts, while Colton Lewis worked the ninth, allowing one run on one hit with one strikeout.
 
Landon Mitchell (2-1) took his first loss of the season for the Runnin' Bulldogs, allowing four earned runs on ten base hits in 5.2 innings of work.  Tyler Harrison recorded two outs, allowing a pair of runs on three hits, and Caleb Bissette recorded a pair of outs, allowing no runs on one hit with one strikeout.  Grey LaSpaluto tossed one scoreless frame, allowing one base hit while fanning one batter.
 
The Gamecocks collected 15 base hits, led by Naismith with a 4-for-5 outing with one RBI.
 
GWU totaled eight base hits on the evening, with Brazil (2-for-4, 2B), and Rowdon (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) leading the way.
 
The series continues tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm from Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.