SAN MARCOS, Texas – This weekend is the first of two straight series on the road for Texas State (18-18, 7-8 Sun Belt) with a trip to Mobile and Stanky Field. The three-game set with South Alabama (15-20, 5-10 Sun Belt) sees Thursday's and Friday's games begin at 6:30 p.m. and the finale on Saturday slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
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Fans can watch all three games on ESPN+ and live stats will also be available.
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PROBABLY STARTING PITCHERS
Friday: TXST LHP Alex Valentin (4-3) vs. USA LHP Jaxon Shineflew (2-2)
Saturday: TXST LHP Jesus Tovar (1-3) vs. USA RHP Mitchell Heer (5-0)
Sunday: TXST RHP Shaen Connell (0-0) vs. USA LHP Zach Willingham (2-4)
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ABOUT TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats have posted a 6-3 record so far in April after defeating Houston Christian on Tuesday. They are looking to win consecutive Sun Belt Conference road series for the first time since 2022 when that squad went 15-0 against conference opponents on the road.
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Ryne Farber leads the team with a .304 average, 42 hits, 22 runs, 15 walks, 10 doubles and nine stolen bases. He has also driven in 17 runs and hit by a pitch eight times. Chase Mora paces the squad with 20 RBI and is tied for the team lead with four home runs with Ausitn Eaton. Samson Pugh has been swinging a hot bat over the last two contests, going 4-for-6 with five RBI, five runs and one double, triple and homer.
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Slated to take the mound on Thursday is Alex Valentin, who is 4-3 with a 3.94 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 48.0 innings. Jesus Tovar has also struck out 41 while going 1-3 with a 4.32 ERA and will start on Friday night. Taking the hill for the third consecutive time in a series finale will be Shane Connell. The right-hander has yet to receive a decision while posting a 6.06 ERA and 13 punch outs in 16.1 innings.
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Matthew Tippie has come out of the bullpen a staff-high 17 times this season and sports a 2-0 record with one save, 3.29 ERA and team-high 45 strikeouts over 27.1 innings. Carson Laws has earned six saves while going 3-0 with 34 strikeouts in 25.0 innings.
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ABOUT SOUTH ALABAMA
The Jaguars come into the weekend having lost four of their last five games including a series at Arkansas State. At home, South Alabama is 11-6 with a 3-3 mark against Sun Belt opponents that includes a series win over Georgia Southern.
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Kyle Morrison leads the team with eight home runs and 39 RBI while scoring 27 times and hitting .333. Brennan Holt (.277 AVG, 12 2B) and John Smith III (.336 AVG, 32 R) have hit six and five homers, respectively. Also hitting over .300 is Lucas Ismaili (.333), Rhett Johnson (.304) and Duncan Mathews (.369).
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Taking the mound on Thursday will be Jaxon Shineflew. The lefty is 2-2 with two saves, a 3.83 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 33.0 innings. Mitchell Heer gets the ball on Friday and enters with a 5-0 record, 3.51 ERA but just 19 punch outs in 33.1 innings of work. The finale will see Zach Willingham get the ball. He comes in with a 2-4 record, one save, a 3.48 ERA and 34 strikeouts and has thrown 44.0 innings, a staff high.
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Andrew Floyd has earned three of the team's eight saves. The junior right-hander has made 11 appearances out of the bullpen and posted a 4.58 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. Sam Boardwine (2.84 ERA, 8 K) and Garret Kangas (2.38 ERA, 11 K) have come on to pitch eight times in relief.
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SERIES VS. JAGUARS
South Alabama leads the all-time series 20-10. The past two years have seen Texas State win the series opener but drop the next two contests. The only time that the Bobcats have won a series over the Jaguars was in San Marcos in 2021 and 2022 when they took the first two games of the weekend set.
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When playing in Mobile, TXST is 3-9 all-time. Texas State won a game on the road in 2015, 2019 and 2023 while getting swept in 2017.
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