SAN MARCOS, Texas – This weekend will see Texas State (16-16, 6-6 Sun Belt) host 23-ranked Southern Miss (22-11, 8-4 Sun Belt) at Bobcat Ballpark. Friday's series opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch followed by 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. in Sunday's series finale.

Fans can watch all three games on ESPN+ and live stats will also be available.

PROBABLY STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: TXST LHP Alex Valentin (4-2) vs. USM RHP JB Middleton (5-1)
Saturday: TXST LHP Jesus Tovar (1-2) vs. USM LHP Grayden Harris (3-2)
Sunday: TXST RHP Shaen Connell (0-0) vs. USM TBD

ABOUT TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats are 4-1 since the calendar turned to April. Last weekend saw them take the final two games of the series at Louisiana while also picking up road wins at Baylor and Texas. This weekend marks the fourth consecutive year that TXST plays a ranked opponent in a weekend series and the third straight year in San Marcos.

Ryne Farber leads the team with a .306 average, 37 hits, 21 runs, 13 walks and eight stolen bases. His seven doubles are tied for the most on the squad with Zachary Gingrich and Chase Mora. Both Austin Eaton and Mora have hit a team-high four home runs. Mora also paces the squad with 20 RBI. Also with multiple homers are Ian Collier and Gingrich with three and two, respectively.

Scheduled to get the ball on Friday night is Alex Valentin. The lefty is 4-2 with a 3.35 ERA and 37 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .149 batting average and 4.60 hits per nine innings, the third fewest in the country. Jesus Tovar picked up his first win of the season last weekend to improve to 1-2. He has not allowed a run over his last 18.1 innings on the rubber to drop his ERA to 3.58 and has struck out 38. Making his second straight Sunday start will be Shane Connell (5.93 ERA, 10 K).

Matthew Tippie has come out of the bullpen a staff-high 16 times this season and sports a 2-0 record with one save, 3.24 ERA and team best 42 strikeouts in 25.0 innings. Carson Laws has picked up six saves while striking out 30 with a 2-0 record and 3.38 ERA.

ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS
The Golden Eagles enter the weekend having dropped three of their last four games. Last weekend saw them fall twice on the road at Marshall and then on Tuesday at Alabama. USM is 7-7 away from Hattiesburg with a 6-6 mark in true road games.

Jake Cook leads the team with a .368 batting average and Tucker Stockman is the only other player hitting over. 300 with a .337 mark. Carson Paetow paces the squad with 10 home runs, 11 doubles, 30 RBI and 40 strikeouts while hitting .293. Nick Monistere comes in with seven homers, 28 RBI and a team-high six stolen bases. Matthew Russo has added nine home runs, 27 RBI and 27 runs while Davis Gillespie has hit seven round trippers and driven in 27 runs.

Taking the hill on Friday will be JB Middleton. The right-hander is 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and team-high 56 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. Freshman Grayden Harris gets the ball on Saturday and comes in with a 3-2 record, 2.20 ERA and 24 punch outs over 28.2 innings. Sunday's starter is still to be decided.

Colby Adams has earned six of the team's 10 saves. He is also 3-3 with a 3.22 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 36.1 innings spanning 14 appearances. Landen Payne (4.22 ERA, 19 K) has picked up two saves while both Josh Och (2-0, 3.20 ERA, 32 K) and Brooks Willoughby (3-0, 4.34 ERA, 21 K) have a save apiece.

SERIES VS. GOLDEN EAGLES
The all-time series between Southern Miss and Texas State is tied 3-3. Last season, the Golden Eagles won the series in Hattiesburg after the Bobcats won the series opener. In the first-ever meeting, TXST dropped the series opener in 2023 in San Marcos before winning the next two contests to claim the series.

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