RUSTON – The Diamond 'Dogs (15-12, 4-3 CUSA) suffered their fourth-straight loss Friday night, falling to Jacksonville State (22-5, 7-0 CUSA), 4-0, at the Love Shack.
 
Both sides were kept to early the minimum through the first two frames, combining for just three baserunners. Declan Dahl had three strikeouts going into the third before getting a swinging strikeout to lead off the frame and give him his fifth-straight retired Gamecock batter.
 
A bunt single ensued the leadoff punchout before a double to the left field corner of the field scored the first run of the evening in favor of Jax State. Dahl was able to shake off allowing the run by giving the Bulldogs three scoreless frames, scattering three hits across the span.
 
The Gamecocks led off the seventh reaching second after a dropped fly by the Tech left fielder, who was then advanced to third the next play on a sacrifice bunt. With one out and the infield drawn in, JSU ripped a single through the right side of the infield to double their lead.
 
Tech made a legitimate threat to score in the home half, beginning with a two-out triple by Hayden Gustavson to give the 'Dogs their first extra-base hit and runner in scoring position of the contest. A pair of walks were drawn to load the bases, but all three runners were left stranded after the inning ended on a strikeout.
 
A pair of insurance runs in the ninth for the Gamecocks coming in on a one-out RBI double and a sac fly provided enough cushion, as the 'Dogs were retired in order to end the game.
 
Friday's loss marked the first time the 'Dogs were shut out in a CUSA series opener since a 1-0 loss to FIU on April 15, 2016.
 
The Bulldogs return for Game 2 of the series on Saturday, March 28 at the Love Shack. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.
 
Quotables
 
Head Coach Lane Burroughs:
"We knew we were in for a battle. [Eli] Pillsbury's numbers were really good—opponents are hitting .191 off of him and he's only allowed five runs all year. We knew we were going to have our hands full, and were going to have to pitch extremely well, and Declan Dahl did that. He gave us every opportunity to win the ball game for us tonight. On a Friday night against a really good arm, you're only going to get one or two chances to score and we had that. We loaded the bases and forced them to bring in their closer, and he got a big punch out. It was pretty evident they weren't pitching to Trey [Hawsey] and weren't going to let him beat them. The wind was blowing out, which is right in his wheelhouse. Winning and losing—it's a razor-thin margin. They wanted to make sure we didn't score so they wouldn't have to pitch to him, and credit to their closer—he came in and got a big punch out. I thought Luke Nichols pitched really well. We brought Riley Fisher in when it was 2-0, and the numbers showed the guy he was facing was not hitting well on high velocity. But you have to give him credit—the pitch was around 91 [miles per hour] and he hit it over our center fielder's head. It's a high risk-high reward, and credit to him. If there is one positive, we forced their closer to throw three innings tonight. I don't know how it'll play out the rest of the weekend, but we did make him throw a lot of pitches. It was a real Friday night college baseball game—runs are going to be at a minimum, two guys who know how to pitch that are really good and going at each other."
 
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