JACKSONVILLE, Ala. — Despite a second straight complete game from Nolan Pender, the Bellarmine University baseball team was edged 4-2 by Jacksonville State in ASUN action Thursday night at Jim Case Stadium.

Last weekend, Pender opened an ASUN series against North Alabama by firing the third complete game in program history for Bellarmine (6-27, 4-9 ASUN). The junior righthander went the distance for the second time in a row in the series opener against Jacksonville State (14-17, 8-5).

Pender allowed three earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in 8.0 innings pitched. The righty logged 6.0 innings or more in all five of his conference starts, including three of at least 7.0 frames.

Senior left fielder Matt Higgins drove in both of Bellarmine's runs. In the sixth, after freshman second baseman Casey Sorg led off with a double, the reigning ASUN Player of the Week brought him home with an RBI single to tie it at 1.

Sorg and Higgins were at again in the eighth. Sorg singled with one out but was erased on a fielder's choice by senior center fielder Jack Ockerman, who advanced to second on a throwing error. Higgins, who also garnered National Player of the Week accolades from Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA, drove Ockerman in with an RBI double to knot it up at 2-all.

Jacksonville State answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, and the Gamecocks held off Bellarmine in the ninth after sophomore first baseman Davis Crane drew a one-out walk and junior pinch runner Will Aubel stole second.

Higgins, Sorg and junior catcher Gabe Bratetic recorded two hits each. JSU reliever AJ Causey notched the win. Starter Reid Fagerstrom struck out nine while allowing only one run in 6.1 innings pitched.

The second of the three-game series will start at 7 p.m. (ET) Friday.

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