JACKSONVILLE - Jacksonville State returns home for four games and will start the week against its third consecutive ranked foe with No. 21 Troy visiting Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday is Jax State Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. The faculty and staff can show their Jax State ID for free admission to the in-state rivalry match up. All Jax State students and fans 18 years old and younger are admitted free. Tickets are available online at JaxStateSports.com.
The Gamecocks' string of ranked opponents started last week against No. 23 Alabama and then traveled to Oxford, Miss. for a weekend series with No. 17 Ole Miss.
GAMEDAY INFO - FACULTY & STAFF APPRECIATION NIGHT
Tuesday, March 11 (6 p.m.)
Probable Starters
Jax State:
James Wilson (1-0, 1.00 ERA), RHP, R-So.
Troy: TBA
Live Video: ESPN+ (Eli Gold & Jim Case)
Live Audio: Gamecock Sports Network (
Mike Parris)
Live Stats: JaxStateSports.com
GAMECOCK STORY LINES
• It's one of the longest rivalries in program history as Jax State and Troy will be meeting for the 141st time on Tuesday night. The Trojans hold an 81-59 lead in the series. Troy has won six-of-the-last eight games in the series dating back to the two-game set in 2021. The Gamecocks and Trojans split the season series in 2024 with the visiting team claiming victory. Troy out-lasted Jax State in an 18-10 slug fest in Jacksonville, while the Gamecocks held on for a 5-3 decision on the Trojans' turf. In the 18-10 Troy win on April 3, 2024, the two clubs established a new NCAA Division I Baseball record for relief pitchers used in a single game as 14 relievers were summoned from the bullpen. The previous record of 12 was set on May 5, 1998 in a game between Butler and Indiana-Southeast.Jax State will visit Riddle-Pace Field on April 29.
• The Gamecocks begin the week as the one of the NCAA Division I Baseball leaders in triples. In the first 16 games, Jax State has collected 11 triples and shares the top spot with Arizona, Rhode Island, Tarleton State and UC Irvine. The 11 triples by the five clubs lead all of college baseball (DII &DIII). Jax State has six different players with a triple this season, including four players with multiple triples. Senior
Drew Collins leads the nation with three triples, followed by a pair each by juniors
Colton Hegwood and
Caleb Johnson.
• Two Gamecocks have double digit on-base streaks heading into the week. Redshirt freshman
Cooper Blauser is riding a 16-game on-base streak. Junior
Colton Hegwood extended his hitting streak to 15 games last weekend with hits in each of the three games against the Rebels. Senior
Drew Collins had his 14-game on-base streak snapped on Sunday at Ole Miss. Dating back to the last 20 games of the 2024 season and the 16 games in 2025, Collins has reached base in 34-of-the-last-36 games.
• Jax State's tune up weekend ahead of Conference USA play will be against former Ohio Valley Conference rival Southeast Missouri this weekend on Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. Head coach Steve Bieser will face his alma mater and former program when the Redhawks visit Jacksonville this weekend. The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. start on Saturday. The series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.
