JSU Baseball Extends One of Nation's Longest Winning Streak to 13 games in Come-from-Behind Win in 11th Inning

JACKSONVILLE STATE 12, KENNESAW STATE 11 (11 innings)
MARIETTA, Ga. - Senior Brian Piazza scored on a passed ball in the top of the 11th inning as Jacksonville State extended one of the nation’s longest winning streak to 13 games with a 12-11 win over Kennesaw State on Tuesday.

With the win, the Gamecocks improved to 33-19 after earning their eighth final at-bat win of the season and their 23rd come-from-behind win of the year.

Junior Alex Jones (7-2) tossed the final four innings on the mound and had five strikeouts to earn the win. KSU’s Kyle Clayton (1-3) got stuck with the loss after facing just four batters for the Owls.

Jax State rallied to score five runs in the eighth inning to tie the game and then won their fourth extra-inning game and improved to 11-1 in one-run games on the season.

Senior Clay Whittemore finished 4-for-6, while Daniel Adamson added three more hits as JSU finished the game with 14 hits. Whittemore also drove in a game-high four runs and Brian Piazza finished with two RBI.

The Gamecocks took an early lead after Whittemore had a RBI single to give JSU a 1-0 lead, but Kennesaw tied the game in the first with a RBI infield single by Martin Baker and the Owls took a 2-1 lead in the second after Josh Whitaker led off with a solo home run.

Jax State battled back in the third inning after Whittemore singled to left field to score two runs and give the Gamecocks a 3-2 lead, but Kennesaw answered in the fourth inning and scored four to build a 6-3 lead.

The Gamecocks tied the game in the fifth inning after Spencer Brandes scored on an Owl throwing error and Piazza tripled to left center to drive in two runs and tie the game at 6-6.

Kennesaw State then scored three runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and seventh inning to build an 11-6 lead, before the Gamecocks tied the game in the top of the eighth inning.

Kyle McCreary reached on one-out walk and Daniel Adamson followed with a double down the left field line and Jake Sharrock walked to load the bases. Brandes was then hit by a pitch to score McCreary before Cunningham singled to left field to score Adamson and cut the lead to 11-8.

Bert Smith walked with bases loaded and Steven Leach scored another run on an infield grounder to slice the lead to 11-10. Whittemore followed with a single to the right side to score Cunningham and tie the game at 11-11 and force extra frames.

See Baseball Recaps at OVC Web site: www.ovcsports.com.

Reprinted here in its entirety from OVC Baseball Recaps Report.

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