Friday, February 14
JACKSONVILLE
1:00 PM
Jacksonville State University
vs
Oakland
Gamecock Baseball Opens 2025 Season Against Oakland
2/13/2025 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State returns to Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium for the 2025 season on Friday to host Oakland in a four-game series In Jacksonville.
The Gamecocks and Golden Grizzlies will open the weekend with a doubleheader on Friday after the weather forecast for the weekend in Northeast Alabama altered the series schedule. The series continues on Saturday and Sunday with 1 p.m. start times each day.
Season tickets and single game tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
Gameday Info
Friday, Feb. 14 (1 p.m.) – Game 1
Probable Starters
Jax State: Jackson Phipps (0-0), LHP, Jr.
Oakland: Hunter Pidek (0-0), RHP, Sr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
Friday, Feb. 14 (TBA) – Game 2
Probable Starters
Jax State: Karson Bonaparte (0-0), RHP, Jr.
Oakland: Grant Garman (0-0), LHP, Fr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
Saturday, Feb. 15 (1 p.m.)
Probable Starters
Jax State: Steven Cash (0-0), LHP, Jr.
Oakland: Brody Fahnestock (0-0), RHP, Fr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: YouTube
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
Sunday, Feb. 16 (1 p.m.)
Probable Starters
Jax State: James Wilson (0-0), RHP, R-So..
Oakland: Tanner Ware (0-0), LHP, Jr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
GAMECOCK STORYLINES
• Jax State is in its second year under head coach Steve Bieser. The Gamecocks struggled in his initial season with an 18-34 overall mark. Bieser revamped the roster ahead of the 2025 season with 33 new faces in the program, including 17 junior college transfers and seven added from the NCAA Transfer Portal. Jax State returns four starters from the 2024 club, highlighted by junior Caleb Johnson.
• Junior Caleb Johnson was named Preseason All-Conference USA by a vote of the coaches in the league. Johnson was a mainstay on the Jax State infield and the top offensive threat returning to the Gamecocks for 2025. The Phenix City, Alabama shortstop saw action in all 52 games last season. He finished the season hitting .282 with 60 hits, including 29 extra-base hits. Johnson led the Gamecocks with 18 doubles and added 10 home runs and a triple. He scored a team-high 50 runs and delivered 37 RBI. He reached base 32 times via walk or hit-by-pitch along with being 14-of-17 in stolen bases. Johnson was solid defensively with 151 assists and fielded at a .958 percentage.
• This season-opening weekend series between Jax State and Oakland will be the second all-time series between the two programs. The Golden Grizzlies visited Jacksonville for a weekend set during the 2002 season. The Gamecocks swept the visitors from Rochester, Michigan - 6-1, 8-1, 4-3. Jax State has faced seven-of-the-11 teams that currently make up the Horizon League. The Gamecocks are a combined 19-2 against the league. Jax State's two losses are against Milwaukee during the 2000 season. Jax State has faced Cleveland State (2-0), Northern Kentucky (1-0), Milwaukee (2-2), Oakland (3-0), Purdue-Fort Wayne (2-0), Wright State (6-0) and Youngstown State (3-0). The last Horizon League team to visit Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium was the Penguins of YSU to open the 2015 campaign. The Penguins were coached by former Gamecock assistant coach Steve Gilespie (2002-12).
• The Gamecocks have enjoyed success on opening weekend by winning seven-of-the-last-11 season-opening series. Over the last 10 Opening Days, Jax State is 7-3 in its season debut. Jax State has opened the season on its home turf 10-of-the-last-11 seasons. The 2023 season was ushered in against Georgia in Athens. The Gamecocks downed the Bulldogs, 8-5, on Opening Day. Jax State opened the 2024 and the Steve Bieser era in thrilling fashion with a walk-off home run in extra innings against Memphis.
The Gamecocks and Golden Grizzlies will open the weekend with a doubleheader on Friday after the weather forecast for the weekend in Northeast Alabama altered the series schedule. The series continues on Saturday and Sunday with 1 p.m. start times each day.
Season tickets and single game tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free.
Gameday Info
Friday, Feb. 14 (1 p.m.) – Game 1
Probable Starters
Jax State: Jackson Phipps (0-0), LHP, Jr.
Oakland: Hunter Pidek (0-0), RHP, Sr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
Friday, Feb. 14 (TBA) – Game 2
Probable Starters
Jax State: Karson Bonaparte (0-0), RHP, Jr.
Oakland: Grant Garman (0-0), LHP, Fr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
Saturday, Feb. 15 (1 p.m.)
Probable Starters
Jax State: Steven Cash (0-0), LHP, Jr.
Oakland: Brody Fahnestock (0-0), RHP, Fr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: YouTube
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
Sunday, Feb. 16 (1 p.m.)
Probable Starters
Jax State: James Wilson (0-0), RHP, R-So..
Oakland: Tanner Ware (0-0), LHP, Jr.
Live Video: ESPN+
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
GAMECOCK STORYLINES
• Jax State is in its second year under head coach Steve Bieser. The Gamecocks struggled in his initial season with an 18-34 overall mark. Bieser revamped the roster ahead of the 2025 season with 33 new faces in the program, including 17 junior college transfers and seven added from the NCAA Transfer Portal. Jax State returns four starters from the 2024 club, highlighted by junior Caleb Johnson.
• Junior Caleb Johnson was named Preseason All-Conference USA by a vote of the coaches in the league. Johnson was a mainstay on the Jax State infield and the top offensive threat returning to the Gamecocks for 2025. The Phenix City, Alabama shortstop saw action in all 52 games last season. He finished the season hitting .282 with 60 hits, including 29 extra-base hits. Johnson led the Gamecocks with 18 doubles and added 10 home runs and a triple. He scored a team-high 50 runs and delivered 37 RBI. He reached base 32 times via walk or hit-by-pitch along with being 14-of-17 in stolen bases. Johnson was solid defensively with 151 assists and fielded at a .958 percentage.
• This season-opening weekend series between Jax State and Oakland will be the second all-time series between the two programs. The Golden Grizzlies visited Jacksonville for a weekend set during the 2002 season. The Gamecocks swept the visitors from Rochester, Michigan - 6-1, 8-1, 4-3. Jax State has faced seven-of-the-11 teams that currently make up the Horizon League. The Gamecocks are a combined 19-2 against the league. Jax State's two losses are against Milwaukee during the 2000 season. Jax State has faced Cleveland State (2-0), Northern Kentucky (1-0), Milwaukee (2-2), Oakland (3-0), Purdue-Fort Wayne (2-0), Wright State (6-0) and Youngstown State (3-0). The last Horizon League team to visit Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium was the Penguins of YSU to open the 2015 campaign. The Penguins were coached by former Gamecock assistant coach Steve Gilespie (2002-12).
• The Gamecocks have enjoyed success on opening weekend by winning seven-of-the-last-11 season-opening series. Over the last 10 Opening Days, Jax State is 7-3 in its season debut. Jax State has opened the season on its home turf 10-of-the-last-11 seasons. The 2023 season was ushered in against Georgia in Athens. The Gamecocks downed the Bulldogs, 8-5, on Opening Day. Jax State opened the 2024 and the Steve Bieser era in thrilling fashion with a walk-off home run in extra innings against Memphis.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballWednesday, May 13
Sunday, May 10
Sunday, April 26
Saturday, April 25
