JACKSONVILLE – Jax State baseball will travel to Springfield, Missouri to face the Bears of Missouri State in the first ever meeting between the two clubs. First pitch set for Friday at 6:30 pm at the newly re-named Route 66 Stadium. Both teams are coming off a full week of rest after both midweek games for both teams were canceled due to widespread rain across the country.
Jax State enters the weekend after taking a 2-1 series win over New Mexico State, shutting out the Aggies in games two and three (4-0, 10-0). Jax State is third in Division I baseball in shutouts with six, behind Florida and Oregon with seven each. Missouri State has lost their last five straight including being swept this past weekend at LA Tech.
Both Steven Cash and Beau Bryans were named CUSA co-pitchers of the week after both having shut out NMSU. Cash notched his second complete game of his career after going seven innings, only allowing four hits, no runs, and only walking two. Bryans tossed 6.1 innings, striking out 10, matching his career high set earlier this season. He allowed four hits, and only walked four, not allowing a run. Eli Pillsbury, Beau Bryans, and Steven Cash all have ERAs under 3.00, and as a team the Gamecocks are fourth in Division I in hits allowed per nine innings with 7.01.
Offensively for the Gamecocks Jaxon Pate leads the way batting .373 at the plate, which is third in CUSA, behind Mo State's Bryce Cermenelli, who is second in the league and holds a .380 average. Jax State leads Division I baseball in sacrifice bunts with 49 and 16th in the nation in sac flies with 26.
Missouri State's Curry Sutherland leads Conference USA in home runs with 16 and is closely followed by teammate Carter Bergman that has 15. Sutherland slugging percentage is .635, second in the league
Both teams have announced their starting pitching rotations. The Gamecocks will send out the lineup of lefties with Eli Pillsbury set for Friday, Beau Bryans set for Saturday, and Steven Cash set for Sunday. Missouri State has announced a pair of righties this weekend, with Jason Schaff opening up the series on Friday and Brock Lucas taking the mound on Saturday. Mo State has listed its Sunday starter as TBD.
An ESPN+ broadcast will not be available for Friday's game but will be for Saturday and Sunday's games. Mike Parris will have the call all weekend on the Gamecock Sports Network via radio. As always, you can follow live stats and Jax State Baseball on X (@JaxStateBB) for updates.
