By Drew Parsley, Louisiana Tech Associate Director Strategic Communications; featured photo by Josh McDaniel
LYNCHBURG, Va. — Louisiana Tech (31-23, 14-12 CUSA) looks ahead to kickstarting the Conference USA Baseball Championship with the Jacksonville State Gamecocks (33-23, 15-12 CUSA) at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium in Lynchburg. This will be the first time that the ‘Dogs and the Gamecocks meet as opponents in the postseason.
Game Information
Date: May 21, 2025
Venue: Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: Sportstalk 97.7 FM / LA Tech Athletics app
Stats: LATechSports.com/stats
Series History
Series Record: 4-2 vs. Jacksonville State
Last Meeting: May 11, 2025 (W, 11-8)
Streak: W1
The Bulldogs closed out the regular slate with a series win over New Mexico State at the Love Shack, taking the series opener, 12-7, before handling the Aggies with ease in the rubber match, 8-1, on Senior Day.
A six-spot put the ‘Dogs out in front in Game 1 before taking an 8-0 lead into the fifth when New Mexico State answered with a seven-run frame. Tech was able to maintain the lead by adding a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh. The Aggies won Game 2, 10-5, to even the series, but the ‘Dogs used a four-run first inning to propel them to a victory in the regular season finale.
Brooks Roberson, Sebastian Mexico and Trey Hawsey were the three Bulldogs to receive postseason honors from Conference USA ahead of the tournament action. Roberson was named the CUSA Freshman of the Year as well as being selected to the All-CUSA Second Team and All-Freshman team.
Alongside Roberson, Hawsey was also named to CUSA’s All-Conference Second Team and All-Freshman team, and Mexico was a Second Team selection.
The Gamecocks won the series over LA Tech in a weekend series played in Jacksonville, Alabama earlier this season, taking the first two games before the Bulldog offense came to life in an 11-8 win in the series finale. Roberson dominated in his start against the Gamecocks, tossing six full innings allowing one run on three hits, two walks and posting a career-high nine strikeouts.
Previewing the Gamecocks
Jacksonville State enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed, just half a game ahead of Tech in the standings. The Gamecocks closed out their regular season in a big way, securing a series win on the road at Western Kentucky, who had suffered just one loss at home the entire season prior to the series.
The Gamecocks took the series opener, 5-1, before the Hilltoppers evened the series with a 9-4 win in Game 2, but two runs in the ninth of the rubber game was enough insurance to give Jacksonville State a 9-6 win and clinch the series.
This is Jacksonville State’s first time competing in the CUSA Championship in their second year as members of the league, falling short of an appearance in 2024 after finishing with a 5-19 record in league play. The Gamecocks have turned it around in 2025 under head coach Steve Bieser, who led his club to 15 more wins than they had last season.
The Gamecocks have four players batting above .300 this year entering tournament play—Colton Hegwood, Grayson Ashe, Carson Hornung and Drew Collins. Hegwood holds a team-high .311 average with 12 doubles, three triples and a homer with 25 RBI and 13 stolen bases. Ashe is the team leader with 11 homers and a .989 OPS with 39 RBI and eight doubles.
Cooper Blauser has been an efficient baserunner for the Gamecocks, leading the club with 23 swipes on 27 stolen bases. He is also batting .288 with four homers, 18 doubles, four triples and 41 RBI, which is the second-most RBI on the team being Ace Williamson’s 42.
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