Friday, March 30
Birmingham, Ala. (UAB)
1 p.m.
Jacksonville State University
vs
Murray State
Jax State Returns to OVC Action Against Murray State in Birmingham
3/28/2018 11:43:00 AM | Baseball
LIVE STATS: THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY
OVC DIGITAL NETWORK | LIVE AUDIO
YOUNG MEMORIAL FIELD (UAB)
JACKSONVILLE – With the construction of Rudy Abbott Field delayed, coupled with Choccolocco Park hosting other events this week, Jacksonville State returns to Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend, facing Murray State in Birmingham, Alabama at UAB's Young Memorial Field.
The Easter weekend set will gets started on Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Friday. The series will wrap up on Saturday at 1 p.m. Admission is free to all three games. tHE SERIES will be available on the OVC Digital Network and on the Gamecock Sports Network.
JSU (12-9, 3-3 OVC) will be looking to bounce back after being swept by Jacksonville last weekend - the first time JSU had been swept in a non-conference series since 2008. Murray State (14-11, 5-4 OVC) swept Eastern Illinois last weekend at home. Jax State won its series over EIU two weeks ago in Charleston, Illinois.
The Gamecocks lead the all-time series with the Racers, 32-12, and has claimed 11 of the last 13 weekend series with Murray State. Since MSU claimed the series during the 2015 season, JSU has responded with back-to-back series wins in 2016 and 2017. Last year, Jax State claimed a 7-5, 11-inning win in the opener before the Racers forced the rubber game of the set with a 6-4 win. JSU won the series with a 6-3 decision.
JSU ranks among the leaders in NCAA Division I Baseball this season in shutouts with five already this season, including three in the last four OVC games. The Gamecocks rank fourth in the NCAA. Jax State has blanked Southern Illinois (Feb. 18), Radford (Feb. 23), Austin Peay (March 10) and two more at Eastern Illinois (March 16, 18). It marks the first time JSU has recorded back-to-back shutouts since 2008 against EIU. In the five shutouts this season, the pitching staff has been touched for 21 hits and posted 51 strikeouts in the 45 innings-pitched.
After leading the OVC in earned run average last season, the JSU pitching staff has picked up right where it left off from a season ago as the top pitching staff in terms of ERA. The Gamecock arms enter the weekend with a team ERA of 4.34, just ahead of Morehead State's ERA of 4.97. JSU has allowed 92 earned runs (104 total) through the first 21 games this season and tallied 145 strikeouts. JSU's Colton Pate ranks third individually with an ERA of 2.97, while Garrett Farmer is listed fifth among the top pitchers in the league.
Senior Taylor Hawthorne had his lengthy on base streak snapped on March 17 at Eastern Illinois with 39 consecutive games with reaching base, dating back to last season. Hawthorne reached base in all three games last weekend with Jacksonville and has now reached safely in 43 of the last 44 games.
Following the OVC set in Birmingham, The Gamecocks will have their first midweek of the season in which they play two games on Tuesday and Wednesday. JSU will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama on April 3 and host the Trojan of Troy on April 4 at Choccolocco Park.
OVC DIGITAL NETWORK | LIVE AUDIO
YOUNG MEMORIAL FIELD (UAB)
JACKSONVILLE – With the construction of Rudy Abbott Field delayed, coupled with Choccolocco Park hosting other events this week, Jacksonville State returns to Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend, facing Murray State in Birmingham, Alabama at UAB's Young Memorial Field.
The Easter weekend set will gets started on Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Friday. The series will wrap up on Saturday at 1 p.m. Admission is free to all three games. tHE SERIES will be available on the OVC Digital Network and on the Gamecock Sports Network.
JSU (12-9, 3-3 OVC) will be looking to bounce back after being swept by Jacksonville last weekend - the first time JSU had been swept in a non-conference series since 2008. Murray State (14-11, 5-4 OVC) swept Eastern Illinois last weekend at home. Jax State won its series over EIU two weeks ago in Charleston, Illinois.
The Gamecocks lead the all-time series with the Racers, 32-12, and has claimed 11 of the last 13 weekend series with Murray State. Since MSU claimed the series during the 2015 season, JSU has responded with back-to-back series wins in 2016 and 2017. Last year, Jax State claimed a 7-5, 11-inning win in the opener before the Racers forced the rubber game of the set with a 6-4 win. JSU won the series with a 6-3 decision.
JSU ranks among the leaders in NCAA Division I Baseball this season in shutouts with five already this season, including three in the last four OVC games. The Gamecocks rank fourth in the NCAA. Jax State has blanked Southern Illinois (Feb. 18), Radford (Feb. 23), Austin Peay (March 10) and two more at Eastern Illinois (March 16, 18). It marks the first time JSU has recorded back-to-back shutouts since 2008 against EIU. In the five shutouts this season, the pitching staff has been touched for 21 hits and posted 51 strikeouts in the 45 innings-pitched.
After leading the OVC in earned run average last season, the JSU pitching staff has picked up right where it left off from a season ago as the top pitching staff in terms of ERA. The Gamecock arms enter the weekend with a team ERA of 4.34, just ahead of Morehead State's ERA of 4.97. JSU has allowed 92 earned runs (104 total) through the first 21 games this season and tallied 145 strikeouts. JSU's Colton Pate ranks third individually with an ERA of 2.97, while Garrett Farmer is listed fifth among the top pitchers in the league.
Senior Taylor Hawthorne had his lengthy on base streak snapped on March 17 at Eastern Illinois with 39 consecutive games with reaching base, dating back to last season. Hawthorne reached base in all three games last weekend with Jacksonville and has now reached safely in 43 of the last 44 games.
Following the OVC set in Birmingham, The Gamecocks will have their first midweek of the season in which they play two games on Tuesday and Wednesday. JSU will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama on April 3 and host the Trojan of Troy on April 4 at Choccolocco Park.
Wednesday, May 13
Sunday, May 10
Sunday, April 26
Saturday, April 25
