KENNESAW, Ga. – During most Jacksonville State baseball games, Ashlie and Wes Cash don't sit next to each other. In fact, the only time they are in the same area of the stadium is when they enter the gates. Ashlie sits in the stands while Wes paces back and forth behind home plate.
When their oldest son, Steven, is on the mound for Jacksonville State, the parents of three boys don't speak until his outing is over. When utility player Matthew gets a hit, fans will see a simple fist bump – from a distance.
"I wouldn't say we are superstitious, but we do not usually sit together, especially when Steven is pitching," said mom Ashlie. "I usually sit in the stands, in the same spot, and Wes, stands on the concourse behind home plate. We don't usually interact until he is done pitching. And when Matthew gets a hit, we always fist bump, even if it is in the air across the stands because we aren't sitting together."
It's been that way for the Cash family for the last two seasons. Steven, a senior, and Matthew, a sophomore, became Gamecock teammates in 2025. Steven transferred to Jacksonville State in 2025 after two successful seasons at Louisiana while Matthew began his career at Jax State as a freshman in 2025.
Both Steven and Matthew are integral players for the Gamecocks who will certainly be invited to play in the NCAA Tournament when the selections are announced on May 25. Jacksonville State finished the regular season with an overall record of 42-13 which ranks as the best Division I record in school history. They won the regular season Conference USA championship and are the No. 1 overall seed the conference tournament.
Steven, a left-handed pitcher, is tied for the team lead in victories with eighth, and has the lowest ERA among Conference USA starters with an 3.08 ERA. He leads the team in innings pitched (79) and in strikeouts (91).
Matthew, a left-handed hitting utility player, has 37 hits in his 52 games played, and he has been hit by 15 pitches, good for second on the team.
Steven, who picked up a baseball for the first time when he was four, and Matthew, sized up his first bat when he was three, are teammates again and enjoying college baseball together as leaders of Jacksonville State's most successful team in its Division I history.
The brothers are teammates for the first time since their prep playing days at Bibb County High School in Centreville, Ala., during the 2022 season when Steven was a senior and Matthew was a sophomore.
"Playing together means a lot to both of us," said Matthew on the eve the Conference USA Tournament. "Both of us really enjoy being able to continue displaying our talents at a higher level and are having fun playing together."
For Steven, who transferred to Jacksonville State after two years at Louisiana, the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother was his main reason for becoming a Gamecock.
"The opportunity to play with Matthew was the biggest reason for me deciding to come to JSU," said Steven. "I was also excited to play closer to home (about two hours) and have the chance to see more family and friends at our games."
Steven's decision to finish his career at Jacksonville State also made travel and decisions on whose games to go to much easier on their parents.
"Steven decided to enter the portal, and they ended up together," said Ashlie. "It has been great for our family to have them both together. They are both competitors and I think they enjoy competing together. It has been special watching them to continue to compete at this level."
While the brothers often dreamed about playing together on the collegiate level, they weren't sure it would ever happen.
"Both boys being able to play together again has been surreal," said Ashlie. "Having them play together these past two years has been great for our family. With Steven already at Louisiana and Matthew committing to Jax State, we had already begun thinking about how we were going to split up to attend both boys' games."
It's especially enjoyable for the Cash family when Steven and Matthew are announced in the same starting lineup. And even more exciting when they are announced in the same battery as the starting pitcher and the starting catcher as they were in a victory over Valparaiso and Louisiana Tech.
Against Valparaiso, Steven struck out three and allowed only one earned run and Matthew totaled two hits and two RBI. In the win over Louisiana Tech, Steven struck out seven in 6.0 innings of work while Matthew reached based twice in and recorded 12 putouts. In both Gamecock victories, Steven was the winning pitcher.
"When they announced the Cash brothers as the battery, that was definitely something special to hear," said Ashlie.
Both Steven and Matthew were pitchers and played football in high school. They also both played the guitar before the family sport of baseball began to consume most of their time.
Memorial Day is never just another date on the calendar for Steven and Matthew. As they compete in the Conference USA Tournament, both brothers recognize the true meaning behind the holiday: a time to honor and remember the U.S. service members who gave their lives in sacrifice.
At the same time, they understand what Memorial Day represents in the world of college baseball. It marks the approach of Selection Monday, when seasons are defined and postseason dreams take shape.
Playing together in the NCAA Tournament is certainly the goal of Cash brothers.
"Absolutely," said Matthew. "It's something our team and each other value. Playing in the NCAA Tournament is one of our team's goals from the beginning."
