Cleveland State wishes they could have this one back.
The Cougars (17-9, 4-5) were up the entire way until the final inning when Jackson State (12-9-1, 5-4) rallied to take the lead and the game.
In the bottom of the second Cleveland State scored the games first two runs with Nate Dunfee hitting a sacrifice fly to centerfield bringing home De'Yon Cannon. Then Riley Orr singled in Hunter Ryan.
The Green Jays scored their first run in the top of the fourth after an error by the third baseman was brought home by a double off the bat of Jacob Bryant.
Then the Cougars put up a four spot in the bottom half of the fourth. Evan Goins doubled driving in Harrison Garrett and Ryan. Orr got home later in the inning on a wild pitch and Goins came home when Cannon Stafford stole second with runners on the corners.
Jackson State benefitted from a couple more errors to bring home another run in the top of the fifth. Cleveland State committed four errors total in the game.
Starter Austin Breedlove finished his day going five innings allowing no earned runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two.
Dunfee again got Cannon home, this time on a ground out to shortstop in the fifth inning. The Cougars were up 7-2 heading into the sixth, but then the Green Jays started chipping away at the lead.
Jackson State scored another unearned run in the sixth, then put their first earned run across the plate in the seventh and another two in the eighth on a two-run home run by Harrison Freeman.
In the bottom of the eighth Cleveland State got back on the board and looked in control of the game scoring three runs. Orr and Ryan came home on a Bryson Trammell single. Later Stafford singled in Goins.
Then, down four runs Jackson State put together a five-run top of the ninth to take the lead for the first time in the game, and held the Cougars scoreless in the bottom of the inning to secure the victory.
Eric Enerlich suffered his first loss of the season blowing the save in the ninth going .2 innings allowing five earned runs on three hits while walking one.
Ryan went 3-4 at the plate scoring three times and walking once. Goins was 2-3 with two runs scored, two RBI and two walks. Dunfee and Trammell each also drove in two.
Cleveland State was scheduled to play next at home against Brett Carroll Academy, but the games on Wednesday and later in the season against BCA have been canceled due to a scheduling conflict with the team.
Next up now for the Cougars is a road trip to Carson-Newman University (12-11, 7-5) on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.
