Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Mandy Alvarez and Kenny Hostrander each hit two home runs, and Kyle Nowlin smacked one as EKU downed Jacksonville State, 19-13, on Friday in the Ohio Valley Conference baseball series opener.
 
Alvarez came into the game second in the nation in hits.  He finished 7-for-7 with two runs and six RBIs.  He raised his season batting average from .396 to .417.
 
Back-to-back home runs by Alvarez and Nowlin in the fourth turned a 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 lead for the Colonels.  With Cole Warrenfeltz on base, Alvarez drove a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left center for his 11th of the season.  Nowlin then took the first pitch he saw and deposited it well over the fence in left field for his 17th of the season.
 
JSU (28-18, 16-6 OVC) answered in the bottom half of the inning.  Hayden White tied it with an RBI double to left center and Gavin Golsan gave the Gamecocks a 7-6 lead with an infield single.
 
Hostrander's two-run home run in the top of the fifth gave EKU (22-25, 11-11 OVC) the lead for good.  Two more runs would come home in the inning, on Shea Sullivan's RBI double and Nowlin's run-scoring ground out, to put Eastern on top 10-7.
 
Hostrander hit another two-run shot in the sixth for his second of the game, and the season.  Alvarez capped the six-run inning with his second dinger of the game to make it 16-9.
 
Warrenfeltz scored five runs while going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two walks.  Hostrander finished 3-for-5 with three runs and four RBIs.  Dakota Graham came in as a pinch hitter and went 3-for-3 with a run scored.
 
Brandon Smither (2-0) tossed four innings of solid relief for Eastern.  He allowed one run on two hits, walked two and struck out two.
 
JSU entered the game second in the OVC standings.  Josh Bobo finished 3-for-4 with a run and four runs scored for the Gamecocks.
 
The two teams will continue their series on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.