Gamecocks Walk Off With Series Opener

Saturday, April 10

Jacksonville, Ala.

1 p.m.

Murray State

Jacksonville State

4/10/2010 9:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

After failing to push across the tying and winning runs in the sixth and eighth innings, Jacksonville State tied the game in the ninth before Jake Sharrock to a grand slam to give the Gamecocks the 7-3 walk-off victory in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Rudy Abbott Field.

Bert Smith started the rally with a single up the middle and went to third on a groundout and a wild pitch. Andrew Edge tied the game with a single through the left side before a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs. Sharrock stepped to the plate and hit a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right center for the walk-off grand slam.

The Gamecocks (17-13, 6-1 OVC) took advantage of an error in the second inning to push across an unearned run. Edge reached on the error and then went to second on Kyle Bluestein's single through the left side. With one out, Steven Leach delivered an RBI single through the right side.

The Breds (16-13, 4-3 OVC) got the offense started in the third as Cory Hodskins singled to center field to start the inning. With one out, Brandon Elliott reached on an infield single in the hole at short. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners, Wes Cunningham delivered a run-scoring single through the right side and later scored on Daniel Hill's two-run double to deep left center.

JSU threatened to take the lead in the sixth as a walk and a wild pitch, followed by an Edge single through the left side put runners on the corners with no outs. Bluestein walked to load the bases ahead of Daniel Adamson's sacrifice fly to center field. After Chris Craycraft walked the next hitter to reload the bases, MSU went to the bullpen to get lefty Matt McGaha. McGaha got the pinch hitter Sharrock looking and then got Blake Seguin to foul out to first base to end the inning.

The Gamecocks came calling again in the eighth as they loaded the bases with no outs. The Breds went to the bullpen again to get right hander Dan Huff. Huff got the first batter to hit into a fielder's choice to third to get the lead runner at home. The next batter hit a line drive to short that Elliott made a nice leaping catch and doubled the runner of first to end the threat and the inning.

Marc Harmon (1-5) took the loss after allowing two runs on one hit and a walk without recording an out. Tanner Freshour (3-1) picked up the victory after giving up one hit and striking out two in two-thirds of an inning.

The Breds and Gamecocks play the second game of the doubleheader approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.