Final Score:  Lipscomb: 4, Jacksonville State: 0
Location:  Jacksonville, Ala. (Jim Case Stadium)
Records:  Lipscomb: 23-15 (11-5, ASUN), Jacksonville State: 16-19 (9-7, ASUN)

THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb Baseball extended its ASUN Conference winning streak to 11 games Friday night by shuting out Jacksonville State 4-0 at Jim Case Stadium. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
 
The first inning was scoreless as both pitchers retired the side in order. In his eighth start of the season, Michael Dunkelberger got off to a good start with a nine-pitch inning and a strikeout to keep things scoreless.
 
The Bisons got on the board quickly in the top of the second when Malik Williams reached on an error and scored when Rudy Maxwell delivered an RBI triple to deep right-center field for a 1-0 lead. Lipscomb took advantage of the runner at third when John Shields put a one-out ground ball in play to drive the second run home for a 2-0 lead. 
 
Lipscomb threatened again in the top of the third when Caleb Ketchup knocked a one-out single to left field. He stole second and third, but a pop up and a ground ball ended the inning keeping the Lipscomb lead at a pair. 
 
Jacksonville State got its first hit of the night with a double in the bottom of the third, but Dunkelberger pitched around it and kept the Gamecocks off the board as he had thrown just 28 pitches through three complete scoreless innings. The Gamecocks threatened to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back singles to start things off, but Dunkelberger was up to the challenge and forced a double play ball and struck a man out to keep the Lipscomb lead 2-0. 
 
The Bisons scored another run in the top of the fifth for a 3-0 lead. Shields and Ethan Stamps knocked back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with no outs. Chaz Bertolani cashed in with a beautiful sacrifice bunt that scored the speedy shields. Maddux Houghton connected on his first hit of the night with two outs and a runner on second, but Jacksonville State threw Stamps out at home plate to end the inning. 
 
After another three up, three down inning for Dunkelberger in the bottom of the fifth, Lipscomb scored another run in the top of the sixth. Mason Lundgrin led off with a walk and advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch. Maxwell put a ball in play and the Gamecocks attempted to retire Lundgrin at third base, but he beat the tag and Lipscomb had runners on the corners with one out. The fourth run came across when Trace Willhoite dropped a hit to center field for a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. 
 
Dunkelberger continued to stay calm and collected on the mound and worked around a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth and struck out his fourth man of the night to get out of the inning unscathed. The shutout held through seven when Dunkelberger forced another double play ball to get out of the seventh inning with a 4-0 lead, stranding another Gamecock. 
 
Matthew Bohnert took over on the hill for the Bisons in the top of the eighth and made quick work of JSU, striking out the side in order, sending the game to the ninth inning with Lipscomb ahead 4-0. 
 
The Bisons threatened to add to its lead in the top of the ninth when it loaded the bases, but a pickoff ended the inning and held Lipscomb to its 4-0 lead. Bohnert closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth, preserving the shutout and victory. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Lipscomb had a balanced approach offensively with eight Bisons notching hits. Ketchup was the only Bison with a multi-hit game. 
• Dunkelberger threw seven innings with four strikeouts and no outs. 
• Bohnert struck out three and allowed just one hit in two innings of work. 
• Lipscomb extended its conference win streak to 11 games. 
• The Bisons turned three double plays. 

 
UP NEXT
Game two of the series at Jacksonville State is slated for Saturday, April 23 with first pitch at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.