The Jackson State Generals(10-10) find their first win in the conference on Saturday against the Columbia State Chargers (12-10-1) but overall the weekend wasn’t pretty. Jackson fell in game one of Friday’s twin bill 6-4, they took game two 11-9, and fell on Saturday 12-6.
Game 1: Friday March 9, 2018 (L 6-4)
The Generals gave their Sophomore Alan Rickman (0-4) his fifth start of the year. Through five innings Rickman gave up seven hits, six runs (5 ER), two walks, and struck out five. Rickman pitched solidly through the first three innings only allowing one run off of a HR by Alex Carignan in the second inning and a total of three hits. In the fourth inning out number one came easy but it was followed by a single for Justin Carlin and then a two-run HR for Dacoda Stone. This, followed by a error allowing Devin Symlar to reach and eventually score, put the Generals down 4-2. A home run in the fifth and another in the sixth followed by a walk would end Rickman’s day. Tyler Proctor (2-0) finished the game facing seven batters in two innings allowing no hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
The bats for Jackson were sporadic throughout the contest. The Generals did manage three home runs, one for Ian Bibiloni, Mike Conn, and Alex Deriggi. The Generals started the bottom of the third inning with a solo shot from Conn that was followed up by a single for Deriggi which was aided by a DJ Wright sac grounder and two fielding errors by the Chargers that allowed Deriggi to score. The Generals’ bats fell silent for the most part until the bottom of the seventh inning when Jackson looked like they just might come back as Driggi and Ian Bibiloni went back to back with with home runs. This made it 6-4 with one out but DJ Wright and Garret Guymon both had pop flies which ended game one in a loss for Jackson.
Game 2: Friday March 9, 2018 (W 11-9)
Spencer Woods started the second game and lasted 3.2 innings giving up seven hits, seven runs (5 ER) with no strikeouts or walks. The deep ball continued to be the bread and butter for the Chargers who went deep twice bringing their total on the day to six homers. Wood’s faced a total of 19 batters and gave way to Kyle Brana in relief. Brana finished off the fourth inning and remained for the fifth as he would see eight total batters, give up three hits, two runs, and three strikeouts. The closer Josh Coburn proved to be the most effective as he held the Chargers scoreless through his two innings of work giving up no hits, no runs, and struck out five. His only blemish was the three walks he allowed, but they didn’t seem hurt anything as Coburn moved quickly through the sixth and seventh inning.
The Generals got some early help at the plate from Charger’s Starter Cameron Williams who in the second inning allowed two walks, one hit batter, and a home run that, in addition to a fielding error, allowed the Generals to cross the plate five times and take a 5-2 lead. The Chargers had a big inning in the third and the fourth bringing their total to nine. The Generals put up one run in the fourth off an RBI double for Donnell Bailey 
making it 9-6 after the bottom of the fifth inning. A lead off walk followed by a fielder’s choice which put Will Harris on first and another walk to Mike Conn gave Ian Bibiloni the opportunity to tie the game. And that he did! A three-run home run for Bibiloni tied the game at nine and gave Jackson new life. After Coburn held the Chargers to a scoreless sixth inning the Generals came back to the plate and took an immediate lead as Garret Guymon soloed for his seventh HR of the season! Donnell Bailey would reach with his second double of the day and was brought home by a base hit for Sam Williams, and an RBI sac-fly for Josh Frantz. It was enough to give Jackson the win as Josh Coburn finished it off in the top of the seventh inning. The Generals took game two 11-9.
Game 3: Saturday March 10, 2018 (L 12-6)
DJ Wright had his biggest game of the series on Saturday from the mound. The freshman threw 5.2 innings and showed noticeable fatigue in the sixth, but through five innings he struck out five, and gave up three runs off of four hits. The sixth inning proved treacherous as the Chargers scored five times and sent 11 batters to the plate. Wright got the first two outs finishing his day with eight hits, eight runs allowed (6 ER) and 6 strikeouts. Derick Junker relieved Wright and finished the sixth inning. Junker threw for the first out of the seventh but allowed lead off back to back homers for Justin Carlin and Daniel Freeman. Junker hit Devin Symlar with a pitch and that would trigger Coach Tyson Malik to call on Tyler Proctor. Proctor threw for 1.2 innings and allowed two hits, one run, and struck out three. Kyle Brana finished the game by throwing the ninth inning for one hit, one walk, and one run (0 ER). None of Jackson’s pitchers escaped unscathed as the Charger put up an impressive 12 runs on 14 hits, and four General’s errors.
Jackson had another quiet day at the plate. Their first two runs came in the bottom of the third inning with Alex Deriggi and Ian Bibiloni reaching with a respective single and double. It was DJ Wright who brought them around with 
a two RBI single that gave Jackson a 2-1 lead. The Generals didn’t score again until the bottom of then ninth inning with a hit from Donnell Bailey, a walk for Brayden Barnes, a fielders choice for Mike Conn and homeruns for Sam Williams and Alex Deriggi. Jackson showed some life at the plate but the damage had already been done by Columbia and the Generals fell in the rubber match 12-6.
The Generals are at .500 on the season now with a 10-10 record. They are 1-5 in the conference with mid week non-conference games coming up at Martin Methodist College this Wednesday, March 14th. WNWS.COM’s next coverage of JSCC will be this Friday and Saturday as Jackson travels to Dyersburg to face off against another conference rival. Dyersburg is 9-7 after taking two of three from Volunteer State last Weekend. Airtime on Friday is 1:50PM followed by a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 12:50PM for pregame coverage.
Here’s what Coach Tyson Malik had to say about the games last weekend and how he feels going forward:
By: Coleman Smith
