JACKSONVILLE | The combination of dominant pitching, timely hitting and near flawless defense propelled the University of Alabama baseball team to a 5-0 win over Jacksonville State in front of 1,992 fans Wednesday night at Rudy Abbott Field.

Junior left-hander Miers Quigley pitched a complete shutout, the first by an Alabama pitcher since Wade LeBlanc blanked Florida International on Feb. 24, 2006. It marked Alabama’s first shutout since beating Nebraska 8-0 on March 9, 2007.

Quigley held the Gamecocks to four singles en route to his first career complete game for the Tide. He struck out a season-high eight and added three walks and two hit batters. He improved to 2-1 on the season as the Tide won its fourth straight game.

“Quigley pitched very well,” Alabama coach Jim Wells said. “He is a very capable pitcher. He filled up the zone and threw all of his pitches for strikes. He kept the ball down in the zone and mixed his pitches very well.”

JSU (9-13) rapped into double plays in the sixth and seventh innings and Quigley escaped a bases loaded jam in the eighth inning, by striking out pinch-hitter Jay Harrington.

The Gamecocks loaded the bases on two Alabama errors and a hit batter in the eighth, prompting a visit from Wells.

“Coach Wells told me it was mine to keep,” Quigley said. “He mainly came out to tell me about the pinch hitter. He wanted me to stay off-speed and things worked out well.”

Alabama (13-11) gave Quigley all the run support he would need with a three-run third inning off losing pitcher John David Smelser, a Tuscaloosa native and Hillcrest High School graduate.

Junior designated hitter Ryan Rhoden, sophomore third baseman Jake Smith and freshman shortstop Josh Rutledge opened the third inning with three straight singles, with Rutledge’s RBI single to right scoring Rhoden with the first run. After a balk on Smelser, freshman Ross Wilson followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Smith with the second run. Junior catcher Alex Avila capped the inning with an RBI single up the middle to score Rutledge as UA took a 3-0 lead.

Smelser (1-2) lasted three innings and gave up three runs on four hits, with two strikeouts, two walks and two balks for the Gamecocks.

Alabama increased its lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning on Rutledge’s two-out single to right to score junior center fielder Tyler Odle. The inning began with Odle’s single to left field, which extended his hitting streak to seven games. He later stole second base and scored on Rutledge’s base hit.

Senior first baseman Matt Bentley’s fifth home run of the year to straight-away center field pushed the Tide’s lead to 5-0 in the eighth inning.

Jax State managed only four singles in the loss.

Alabama returns home to host the Ole Miss Rebels in a three-game Southeastern Conference series, beginning Friday at 6:35 p.m. The series opener will also feature a postgame fireworks show.