JSU baseball: Crowe breaks out with big game as Gamecocks smash Bellarmine

May 19—Jacksonville State slugged four home runs to beat Bellarmine 12-1 on Thursday in the first of a three-game ASUN Conference series.

This is the final weekend of the regular season before the conference tournament, and the win helped JSU (24-27, 17-11 ASUN) keep pace in the West Division. The Gamecocks entered the day trailing Eastern Kentucky (33-18, 18-9), Lipscomb (31-20, 17-10) and Central Arkansas (23-27, 17-10), who were to play later Thursday night.

Only the top three are guaranteed a spot in the league tournament, which is next week in Fort Myers, Fla.

Against Bellarmine (11-41, 8-20), JSU got one homer each from Isaac Alexander, Brennen Norton, Derrick Jackson Jr. and Carson Crowe, who has hit a hot stretch at just the right time for JSU.

Crowe was 0-for-27 until he had a couple of hits Sunday in a win over Central Arkansas. On Thursday, he went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a two-run homer in the fifth inning and six RBIs.

He drove in a run with a double in the first inning, singled home two runs in the seventh and doubled home a run in the ninth.

What to know

—Reid Fagerstrom started and pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and seven walks. He gave up only one run, however, and it was unearned. He struck out six and threw 105 pitches.

—The JSU bullpen got a break as Trey Fortner was the only arm used. He worked the final two innings and allowed only one baserunner, who walked. He threw 24 pitches.

—Alexander finished 2-for-4 with a walk, the home run and two RBIs.

—Norton was 2-for-5 with the home run and two RBIs.

—Alex Carignan was 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.

—Cole Frederick was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI. He walked once, was hit by a pitch twice and scored four runs.

—Mason Maners was 1-for-4 with a double and two runs.

Next up

—JSU and Bellarmine will play again Friday at 1 p.m. and Saturday at noon.

Senior Editor Mark Edwards: 256-235-3570. On Twitter: @MarkSportsStar.