SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the first time since 2018, No. 10 Texas State (23-7, 8-1 Sun Belt) will host Georgia Southern (18-10, 6-3 Sun Belt) at Bobcat Ballpark. This weekend will see first pitch on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday's contest start at 2:30 p.m. The finale on Sunday is slated to begin at 12 p.m.
 
All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman and Ty Harrington on the call. Fans can also listen to the contests on KTSW 89.9 FM and live stats will also be available.
 
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: TXST RHP Zeke Wood (2-1) vs. GS RHP Jaylen Paden (3-0)
Saturday: TXST RHP Levi Wells (4-1) vs. GS LHP Ty Fisher (2-1)
Sunday: TXST RHP Cameron Bush vs. GS LHP Danny Madden (0-1)
 
RANKED!
For the fourth consecutive week, Texas State is ranked in all six major polls. The Bobcats achieved their highest ranking ever in Baseball America (#16), Collegiate Baseball (#8), D1Baseball (#10), NCBWA (#14), Perfect Game (#14) and USA Today (#15) polls.
 
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats are led at the plate by Dalton Shuffield with a .361 batting average, 39 hits, 33 runs, 24 RBI, nine doubles and three triples. His six home runs are one behind John Wuthrich's seven for the most on the team. Justin Thompson comes in hitting .336 with 24 runs scored and 19 RBI. Daylan Pena has raised his average to .303 and is tied for second on the team with 23 RBI with Ben McClain and Wuthrich.
 
Zeke Wood will get the ball on Friday and has posted a 2-1 record with a 3.11 ERA and a team-high 46 strikeouts. Saturday will see the reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week Levi Wells get the ball. So far this season, he has posted a conference-low 1.56 ERA, is 4-1 and recorded 41 strikeouts. Cameron Bush will make his second straight Sunday start. The right-hander enters with a 1-1 record, 4.50 ERA and has struck out 26.
 
Tristan Stivors leads the Sun Belt with seven saves while recording a 3-0 record, 0.72 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 25 innings spanning 14 appearances. Matthew Nicholas (1-0, 0.82 ERA) has made 13 relief appearances. Triston Dixon is 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 29.1 innings while Carson Keithley is 2-0 with a 3.78 ERA and 13 strikeouts over 16.2 frames in 12 games.
 
ABOUT GEORGIA SOUTHERN
The Eagles are coming off a series loss at Louisiana that saw them win the second game of the weekend. GS opened conference play with a series victory at Appalachian State and swept Arkansas State at home. In true road games, the Eagles are 5-7.
 
Jarrett Brown leads the lead with a .333 average while scoring 18 runs, driving in 16 and hitting four doubles, two triples and two home runs. Jason Swan has scored a team-high 23 times and hit double doubles. Noah Ledford paces the squad with 30 RBI and shares the team lead of five homers with Austin Thompson.
 
Friday will see Jaylen Paden (3-0, 4.32 ERA, 26 K) take the mound. Left-handers Ty Fisher (2-1, 1.57 ERA, 19 K) and Danny Madden (0-1, 4.71 ERA, 23 K) are slated to start on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
 
Jay Thompson has earned five of the Eagles' seven saves. He is 2-1 with a 4.34 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 29 innings spanning 18 relief appearances. Also picking up a save has been Jake Martin (1-0, 4.30 ERA) and Thomas Higgins (2-2, 5.79 ERA). Ga'Von Wray is 5-1 with a 3.54 ERA and struck out 12 in 20.1 innings in 12 games out of the pen.
 
SERIES VS. EAGLES
Texas State leads the all-time series 8-5 and have won the last two games. This weekend will be the first time since the teams have played each other since Apr. 12-14, 2019, in Statesboro, Georgia. That series saw the Bobcats drop the series opener but come back to win the next two games.
 
At home, TXST is 3-3 when facing the Eagles. The 2015 series was won by the Bobcats but GS took two of three in 2018 in San Marcos.
 
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