OXFORD, Ala. – Giving up the lead in the ninth inning for the first time this year, Jacksonville University baseball (14-9) rallied in the 10th to win 6-4 over Jacksonville State (12-7) at Choccolocco Park Friday night.
It was the first extra inning win of the season for the Dolphins, who never trailed vs. the Gamecocks in earning its first Friday night road win of the year.
"One to 27, every single guy contributed to the win tonight," said Head Coach Chris Hayes.
Jacksonville struck first, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Angel Camacho walked to lead off the inning, and Sam Armstrong drove him in with a double to right field, his team-high sixth of the year. He went to third when John Cassala reached on an error to short, and came home one batter later on Jacob Southern's sacrifice fly to right.
The Gamecocks answered back in the bottom of the second, when the first three men of the inning singled, Hayden White's driving in a run. That was it for Jacksonville State that inning, as Chris Gau settled down and struck out two before inducing a groundout to strand the tying run at third.
It turned into a pitcher's duel after that, with zeros being posted by both staffs for the next five innings, though in very different manner. Gau got better as the night went on, stranding a base runner in the third and fourth, before inducing an inning-ending double play in the fifth. After that, Gau did not allow a man to reach base, retiring the last seven men he faced, finishing the night scattering six hits and just one run in seven innings with four strikeouts.
JU on the other hand, kept threatening but could not score for most of the game. The leadoff man reached in the fifth, sixth and seventh, and advanced down to third each time, but JU could not drive them in.
That changed in the eighth. Camacho led off with a single and Armstrong was hit by a pitch. Cassala sacrificed them over, before Connor Stephens was also plunked. Southern worked the count full, but struck out before Someillan earned a four-pitch walk to drive in a run and make it 3-1.
The ninth also started with the first man to the plate reaching, as Chris Lehane walked, went to second on a groundout and third on a wild pitch before Camacho drove him in to make it 4-1.
"Guys did a really good job of slowing it down and just allowing the game to come to them a little bit," said Hayes of the improved hitting with runners in scoring position late.
Chris Mauloni entered in the ninth looking for his ninth save, but surrendered a solo home run with one out. Then a two-out walk set the table for a pinch-hit home run, and Jacksonville State tied it up.
JU came right back out in the 10th and attacked again. After a leadoff walk to Southern, the Gamecocks brought their closer out of the pen, who had not allowed a run all season. Someillan slashed a single to left and two batters later, Lehane singled up the middle to put the Dolphins back on top. Dubrule beat out an inning-ending double play and Camacho singled for his fourth hit and second RBI of the night to score Someillan.
"We came back in the dugout and said it's time to go back to work," said Camacho. "He [Mauloni] has been picking us up all year, and tonight we picked him up."
"Mauloni has been so good for us this entire year," said Hayes. "For him to have a little bit of an off-night tonight, the credit goes to this offense for getting it done."
Mauloni again battled in the 10th walking and hitting a batter. But a groundout and two flyouts ended it, and the freshman earned his second win of the season.
"It's really tough to win on the road, you're in someone else's house," said Camacho. "It's going to take a complete effort and staying committed to what we do, not trying to do too much."
Jacksonville goes for the series win with Tyler Santana on the mound tomorrow at 2 p.m.
