JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State baseball team will return to midweek action after being idle from non-conference outings over the last two weeks as it will host in-state nemesis Troy on Tuesday night on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

First pitch between the Gamecocks and Trojans is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday's contest will be Spirit Night, hosted by JSU's Greek Life and Student Organizations. The organization with the most members in attendance will win a donation to their philanthropy. Tickets are available online at JSUGamecockSports.com. Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. The game will also be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.

The Gamecocks will be looking to gain momentum after dropping an ASUN Conference series to Jacksonville last weekend. Following the Troy contest, Jax State will depart for Fort Meyers, Florida on Thursday to face Florida Gulf Coast in a key conference series that begins on Friday.

With the exception of the shortened season in 2020, Jax State and Troy have met every season dating back to the 1970 season. Tuesday's duel will be the 136th meeting between the two longtime rivals with the Trojans leading the series 78-59. Last season, the Troys claimed both match ups. Troy posted a 14-6 win in its last visit to Jacksonville and turned in a 12-5 win in Troy. The Gamecocks will travel to Troy on May 2. Jax State's looks to snap a three-game losing streak to the Trojans swept the two games in 2022. Prior to 2022, the Gamecocks won three consecutive games in the series from Troy as the two split the set in 2021. The Trojans will bring a 25-12 overall mark and 8-7 in Sun Belt action after winning a road series at Louisiana last weekend.

Junior Javon Hernandez remains one of the hottest hitters in the ASUN and on the national level. Entering Tuesday's outing, he leads the ASUN in total hits with 62 and ranks fifth in the nation in total hits and just four hits back of the NCAA Division I leader Jonah Cox of Oral Roberts (66). Hernandez leads the conference in batting average with a .440 mark and ranks 10th in NCAA Division I baseball. Since moving the to two-spot in the lineup (21 games), Hernandez is 50-of-87 (.575), scored 27 runs and delivered 26 RBI. He has 13 walks and 7-8 in stolen bases. Hernandez has an on-base mark of .634 and fielding at a .958 rate.

As a team, Jax State is hitting .302 on the season with five individuals hitting .300 or better in the lineup. Senior T.J. Reeves leads the team in RBI with 38, while junior Mason Maners has 30 RBI on 42 hits. Reeves has reached base in all 34 games this season and starts the week hitting .341 on the season.

Senior Colin Casey will be making his first start on the mound since May, 2021 and just the second appearance this season after returning from injury prior to the 2022 season. Casey's lone appearance this season came during JSU's March 6 contest against Bradley. The Jacksonville native will be making his 16th career start as a Gamecock. His first start in 2018 as a freshman came against the Trojans at Choccolocco Park in Oxford. Tuesday's outing will be his 43rd appearance on the mound.