Friday, April 26
JACKSONVILLE
6:00 PM
Jacksonville State University
vs
New Mexico State
Baseball Begins Second Half Of CUSA Slate Against NM State
4/25/2024 2:12:00 PM | Baseball
Sunday is Bark At The Park Day at The Jim
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State will begin the second half of the Conference USA schedule with a key weekend series against New Mexico State on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
The series with the Aggies begins on Friday night at 6 p.m., followed by another evening match up on Saturday at 6 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. Tickets are available at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
Sunday will be 'Bark at the Park at the Jim' as fans will be allowed to bring their furry four-legged friends to the ballpark. All dogs must be on a leash at all times inside the park.
The weekend series between Jax State and New Mexico State will be the first-ever meetings between the two new members of CUSA. Jax State has visited the state of New Mexico once in the program's history. It faced NMSU's rival New Mexico in a three-game series during the 2014 season.
After a weekend off from CUSA action, the Gamecocks begin the second half looking to lock up one of the eight spots in the conference tournament in late May. Jax State enters the series at 3-9 in league play but just four games out of sixth place, Sam Houston (7-8). NMSU and Middle Tennessee starts the weekend at 4-11 in CUSA games. Following the weekend visit by the Aggies, Jax State will face Dallas Baptist, MTSU and SHSU to round out the regular season.
The sophomore tandem of Caleb Johnson and Bear Madliak lead the Gamecocks offensively with .300-plus averages at the plate. Johnson leads the club at .321 on the season with 50 hits on the season, with half of those hits for extra bases. The shortstop became the third Gamecock to have double digit home runs with a home run on Tuesday at UAB. Johnson has reached base in 36-of-the-38 games this season. Madliak was named to the 2024 Buster Posey Award watch list with his solid play behind the plate and his offensive numbers.
Madliak has been behind the plate for all 38 games for the Gamecocks this season and has excelled both defensively and one of Jax State's top offense threats. The Carrollton, Georgia native has managed the pitching staff and controlled the opposition on the base paths this season. He ranks among the league leaders in throwing runners out on the base paths with 18 on the season.
Offensively, Madliak enters the stretch run of the CUSA schedule hitting .307 on the season with 46 hits on the season, including eight extra base hits. He has delivered 19 RBI and has scored 24 runs for the Gamecocks. Madliak has also reached base 21 times via walk or hit-by-pitch. He has collected 11 multi-hit games, including a team-high four three-hit games this season and has seven games with multiple RBI. He enters the weekend series with New Mexico State having reached base in 29 consecutive games.
The home run ball has keyed the Jax State offense this season with 48 home runs in 38 games this season and ranks fifth in the league heading into the week. Dallas Baptist leads CUSA with 67, while FIU has tallied 58 home runs on the season. The Aggies will bring power with them as well with 56 home runs on the season. With Jax State nearing the 50 home runs in a season mark, the last Gamecock squad to have 50-plus home runs on the season was the 2012 team that finished the season with 51.
The Gamecocks have also been aggressive on the base paths this season with 77 stolen bases on the season. That number leads CUSA, just ahead of Sam Houston 71 stolen bases. Jax State has matched the 1978 mark of 76 stolen bases in a single season.. Jax State matched a program mark for stolen bases in a single game against Alabama State on April 16 with eight stolen bases in the contest. The eight stolen bases against the Hornets established the program's Division I mark for stolen bases in a game. Sophomore Will Fincher had three of the eight stolen bases. He became the ninth different Gamecock in the Division I era to have three stolen bases in a game and the first since Gavin Golsan registered three against Samford during the 2016 season.
All three games this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
The series with the Aggies begins on Friday night at 6 p.m., followed by another evening match up on Saturday at 6 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. Tickets are available at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
Sunday will be 'Bark at the Park at the Jim' as fans will be allowed to bring their furry four-legged friends to the ballpark. All dogs must be on a leash at all times inside the park.
The weekend series between Jax State and New Mexico State will be the first-ever meetings between the two new members of CUSA. Jax State has visited the state of New Mexico once in the program's history. It faced NMSU's rival New Mexico in a three-game series during the 2014 season.After a weekend off from CUSA action, the Gamecocks begin the second half looking to lock up one of the eight spots in the conference tournament in late May. Jax State enters the series at 3-9 in league play but just four games out of sixth place, Sam Houston (7-8). NMSU and Middle Tennessee starts the weekend at 4-11 in CUSA games. Following the weekend visit by the Aggies, Jax State will face Dallas Baptist, MTSU and SHSU to round out the regular season.
The sophomore tandem of Caleb Johnson and Bear Madliak lead the Gamecocks offensively with .300-plus averages at the plate. Johnson leads the club at .321 on the season with 50 hits on the season, with half of those hits for extra bases. The shortstop became the third Gamecock to have double digit home runs with a home run on Tuesday at UAB. Johnson has reached base in 36-of-the-38 games this season. Madliak was named to the 2024 Buster Posey Award watch list with his solid play behind the plate and his offensive numbers.
Madliak has been behind the plate for all 38 games for the Gamecocks this season and has excelled both defensively and one of Jax State's top offense threats. The Carrollton, Georgia native has managed the pitching staff and controlled the opposition on the base paths this season. He ranks among the league leaders in throwing runners out on the base paths with 18 on the season.
Offensively, Madliak enters the stretch run of the CUSA schedule hitting .307 on the season with 46 hits on the season, including eight extra base hits. He has delivered 19 RBI and has scored 24 runs for the Gamecocks. Madliak has also reached base 21 times via walk or hit-by-pitch. He has collected 11 multi-hit games, including a team-high four three-hit games this season and has seven games with multiple RBI. He enters the weekend series with New Mexico State having reached base in 29 consecutive games.
The home run ball has keyed the Jax State offense this season with 48 home runs in 38 games this season and ranks fifth in the league heading into the week. Dallas Baptist leads CUSA with 67, while FIU has tallied 58 home runs on the season. The Aggies will bring power with them as well with 56 home runs on the season. With Jax State nearing the 50 home runs in a season mark, the last Gamecock squad to have 50-plus home runs on the season was the 2012 team that finished the season with 51.
The Gamecocks have also been aggressive on the base paths this season with 77 stolen bases on the season. That number leads CUSA, just ahead of Sam Houston 71 stolen bases. Jax State has matched the 1978 mark of 76 stolen bases in a single season.. Jax State matched a program mark for stolen bases in a single game against Alabama State on April 16 with eight stolen bases in the contest. The eight stolen bases against the Hornets established the program's Division I mark for stolen bases in a game. Sophomore Will Fincher had three of the eight stolen bases. He became the ninth different Gamecock in the Division I era to have three stolen bases in a game and the first since Gavin Golsan registered three against Samford during the 2016 season.
All three games this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+ and carried on the Gamecock Sports Network.
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, May 13
Sunday, May 10
Sunday, April 26
Saturday, April 25
