Courtesy of LA Tech Athletics
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The No. 5 seed Diamond ‘Dogs (31-24) fell to the No. 4 seed Jacksonville State Gamecocks (34-23), 9-7, in their opening game of the 2025 Conference USA Baseball Championship at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The Gamecocks struck the scoreboard in the first after the ‘Dogs produced one baserunner from a hit-by-pitch in the top of the frame. A one-out walk followed by a double put a pair of runners in scoring position for Jax State before a wild pitch brought the lead runner home.
Tech answered back accordingly with Zeb Ruddell drawing a one-out walk and stealing second. Eli Berch then took a 2-1 pitch to left to score the Bulldog left fielder and even the game in the second. The Gamecocks matched a run in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly to jump back in front, but the back-and-forth continued when the ‘Dogs plated a pair in the third.
Colton Coates reached second with two outs following a ball thrown into the Tech dugout on the first base side followed by Garrison Berkley ripping a 2-1 pitch through the left side to even the outing once again at 2-2. Ruddell kept the frame going with a base hit up the middle that was stopped by the second baseman, preventing Berkley from going home. Eli Berch then delivered with his second base hit to left to score Tech’s center fielder and put the ‘Dogs up 3-2 going into the bottom of the third.
Jax State only saw one baserunner in their half of the frame before retiring the Tech side in order to start the fourth. The Gamecocks then scored a pair in their turn at the plate on a two-out two-run triple before the ‘Dogs would force the fifth lead change with a four-spot in the top of the fifth.
Tech saw nine batters come to the plate and got themselves started by loading the bases with one out on a pair of walks drawn from Coates and Berkley before Ruddell poked a base hit through the right side. Berch then brought in two more runs with his third hit in as many at-bats to put the ‘Dogs up 5-4.
Brody Drost drew a walk to load the bases once again for Tech followed by Will Safford extending the lead on a fielder’s choice to score Ruddell. Sebastian Mexico capped off the four-run inning for the Bulldogs with an RBI double on the first pitch of his at-bat.
The ‘Dogs saw nine batters come to the plate, marking the first time they have done so in the CUSA Tournament since bringing nine to bat against Southern Miss in the fifth inning of their first game played on May 29, 2021. Eli Berch was also the first Diamond ‘Dog with four RBI in the first game of the tournament since Dalton Davis drove in four against Charlotte on May 24, 2023.
The Gamecocks led off the bottom of the fifth with a base hit before the lead runner misjudged a fly out and was rounding second but could not return to first in time as he was doubled up on a throw to first by Drost. Jax State followed by putting two runners on with a walk and a fielder’s choice that included an error. After a pitching change and a pinch hitter entered the game, the Gamecocks ripped a double down the right field line to score a pair and cut their deficit to just one run.
Jax State saw a double and a single with one out before a base hit and a misplayed ball by the outfield drove in the tying run before a base hit up the middle gave the Gamecocks a 9-7 lead going into the seventh.
The ‘Dogs will face host Liberty in an elimination game on Thursday, May 22 at 3 p.m. CT at Worthington Field.
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