Box Score I Play-by-Play

RICHMOND, Ky. – Visiting Jacksonville State rallied for two runs to untie the game in the top of the eighth inning and then held on to beat the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team, 4-2, in both teams’ Ohio Valley Conference opener at Turkey Hughes Field on Friday afternoon.

The game was a pitchers’ duel between EKU senior right-hander Matt Harris and JSU senior right-hander Aaron Elias for much of its duration. With the game tied at 2-2 entering the top of the eighth, however, the Gamecocks finally got to Harris. The rally started when Adam Miller reached on a throwing error and was replaced by pinch-runner Michael Bishop. Bishop then went to second a sacrifice bunt by Coty Blanchard and scored on a base hit by Scott Underwood. The next batter, Ben Waldrip, advanced Underwood to third with a single through the right side, and Kyle Bluestein then made it 4-2 with an RBI double into right field.

EKU had a chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the ninth, as the Colonels got two of their fastest runners – senior Richie Rodriguez and freshman Demetrius Moorer – in scoring position with two outs in the inning, but JSU closer Todd Hornsby rung up senior Jacob Daniel looking to end the game.

Harris (2-3) received the loss despite delivering, arguably, his best performance of the season. The right-hander went 7.1 innings and allowed just three earned runs on six hits while striking out three batters. Senior right-hander Matt Fyffe came on in relief and held the Gamecocks scoreless over the final 1.2 innings of the game.

Elias tossed six strong inning and surrendered just one earned run six hits while fanning four batters, but he received a no-decision as he was replaced in the bottom of the seventh by right-hander Travis Stout with the score tied 2-2. Stout (3-1) picked up the win, holding the Colonels scoreless in the bottom of the seventh and into the bottom of the eighth. Hornsby earned his fourth save of the season.

EKU nearly got to Stout and took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs in that inning and junior Austin Grisham on first, Rodriguez ripped a single down the left field line that sent Grisham to third and put runners on the corners for Daniel, one of EKU’s best run producers. Daniel smoked a 3-1 pitch that would have gone for extra bases and, possibly, scored both runners, but it was right at JSU second baseman Kyle Stone, and Stone made the catch to end the inning.

Rodriguez led EKU at the plate, going 3-for-4 on the day. Both of the Colonels’ runs came on sacrifice flies, as junior Alex Hughes scored Daniel with a ball to center field in the bottom of the second and Grisham plated Moorer with fly out to right field in the bottom of the fifth.

Underwood paced the JSU offense, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a pair of RBI.

The two teams will square off in game two of this weekend’s three game series tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.