JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Gardner-Webb scored five unanswered runs in the final four innings to take an 8-7 win at Jacksonville State on Saturday afternoon.
 
Trailing 7-3 after five innings of play, Gardner-Webb (6-4) began to battle back in the top of the sixth.  With the bases loaded and one out, Cam Pearcey connected with a base knock to right field, driving in a pair of runs.  One more run scored in the frame on a RBI fielder's choice by Eric Jones, pulling GWU within one run of the Jacksonville State (4-5) lead at 7-6.
 
Neither team threatened until the top of the eighth inning.  With runners on second and third with one out, Jones sent the tying run across the plate on a sacrifice fly to deep center field.  Pearcey, who reached earlier on a fielder's choice, was able to score the go-ahead run on the play due to an errant throw by JSU catcher Alex Carignan.
 
The Gamecocks looked to tie the game on the eighth, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs, but the 'Dogs sent in reliever Chase Lane, who shut the door on any comeback effort by Jacksonville State, recording four straight outs to seal the contest.
 
Gardner-Webb jumped out to an early advantage on the day, with Joe Brazil connecting with a two-run double to the left field gap in the top of the first inning.
 
Jacksonville State responded in the bottom half of the inning, leading off with a solo home run by Tre Kirklin.
 
The Gamecocks took the lead in the bottom of the second, tying the game on a sacrifice fly by Brook Brannon, followed by a RBI double by Kirklin.  JSU added one more run on a bases-loaded walk by Alex Webb.
 
Gardner-Webb trimmed its deficit to 4-3 in the top of the fourth on a RBI double by Pearcey, but JSU answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning with a RBI single by Webb.
 
Jacksonville State scored twice more in the fifth on back-to-back RBI singles by Kirklin and Andrew Naismith.
 
Langdon Wilson (1-0) earned the win on the mound for the Runnin' Bulldogs, scattering a pair of base hits in three scoreless frames with three strikeouts.  Starter Isaac Campbell lasted 4.2 innings, surrendering seven runs on 11 base hits with five strikeouts.  Lane hurled the final 1.1 innings, fanning one batter to record his second save of the season.
 
Corley Woods (0-2) took the loss for Jacksonville State, allowing one run on one base hit in one inning of work.  Isaiah Magwood went five innings in the start, giving up three runs on six hits while fanning seven batters.
 
Gardner-Webb collected 10 base hits on the day, led by Pearcey (3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI).  Brazil (2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI), and Ben Rowdon (2-for-4) also had multiple-hit afternoons.
 
The Gamecocks totaled 13 base hits, paced by Kirklin (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI).
 
The series wraps up tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm from Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium, with live coverage on ESPN+.