MIAMI – The FIU baseball program kicks off Conference USA (CUSA) play this weekend, hosting the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at FIU Baseball Stadium.

Friday, March 21 vs Jacksonville State (14-7)

• Time / Site: 6:30 p.m. ET at FIU Baseball Stadium
• Jackson Phipps (2-1, 2.49 ERA) vs Easton Marks (2-0, 1.96 ERA)

Saturday, March 22 vs Jacksonville State (14-7)

• Time / Site: 5 p.m. ET at FIU Baseball Stadium
• Steven Cash (1-1, 4.67 ERA) vs Logan Runde (2-2, 5.40 ERA)

Sunday, March 23 vs Jacksonville State (14-7)

• Time / Site: 12 p.m. ET at FIU Baseball Stadium
• Karson Bonaparte (1-2, 4.66 ERA) vs TBA

The Panthers concluded their non-conference weekend schedule with a 14-8 record, marking their best start through 22 games since 2014 and under third-year head coach Rich Witten.

FIU is in the midst of a nine-game homestand, coming off a series split against Bucknell. The Panthers dominated the opener with a 22-6 rout on March 13 before securing an 8-6 victory in the series finale on March 16.

Last season, FIU recorded 11 wins in CUSA play, finishing sixth and qualifying for the conference tournament for the first time since 2018.

FIU boasts a .287 team batting average through 22 games, while ranking third in the conference and 48th nationally with 207 total hits.

The Panthers also rank third in CUSA with 354 total bases and have showcased their power, launching 33 home runs—good for second in the league and 21^st in the country. Fourteen different players have homered this season, with nine recording multiple home runs.
 
Leadoff hitter Brylan West has been a key contributor, posting a .361 average in 21 starts while leading the team with 30 hits, six doubles, and 14 RBIs. He is also tied for the team lead with four home runs. West had a standout performance against Bucknell, recording six hits, including a four-hit game on March 14, which featured his third career multi-homer effort. Over his last five games, West is hitting .421 (8-for-19) with two homers, four RBIs, one double, and 15 total bases.

Kishon Frett has displayed his power, belting six home runs and driving in 15 runs while starting all 22 games. The redshirt senior has recorded hits in five of his last six games.

Kareh Valentin has been red-hot at the plate, hitting .500 (6-for-13) over his past five games with five RBIs. The junior has recorded multiple hits in two of his last three games, including a two-hit, one-RBI performance against Bucknell on March 16.

Alex Ulloa has been a steady presence at shortstop, starting all 22 games while leading the team with 17 RBIs, four doubles, and two home runs. He drove in five runs last week, including a three-run homer against FGCU on March 11.
Javier Crespo leads the team with a .375 batting average in 17 games, coming off a four-hit weekend against Bucknell, including a three-hit, four-RBI game on March 14.

Freshman Cole Cleveland has made an impact with three hits last week, including a two-hit game and a home run against FGCU on March 11. He has driven in 15 runs across 15 games this season.

Two-way standout Andrew Ildefonso is hitting .375 with two homers, two doubles, and eight RBIs. He tallied four hits and three RBIs against Bucknell, including a two-hit game on March 13, while also making a start on the mound.

FIU's pitching staff has been stellar, racking up 243 strikeouts—seventh most in the nation—with an impressive 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The Panthers have recorded double-digit strikeouts in 14 games this season, including three such performances against Bucknell.

Right-hander Easton Marks leads the rotation with a 1.96 ERA (fourth in CUSA) in 23 innings pitched, striking out 31 batters in five starts. Marks has worked at least five innings in his last three outings, allowing just five earned runs over 16.1 innings. He delivered a strong performance against Bucknell on March 14, pitching 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts while allowing only one earned run.
 
Left-hander Juan Villarreal has been a key contributor, posting a 4-1 record in seven appearances (two starts) with a 3.27 ERA. He has struck out 31 batters in 22 innings, tying for the team lead. Villarreal picked up the win against Bucknell on March 16, allowing two earned runs over five innings with four strikeouts.
 
Righty Logan Runde leads the team with 23.1 innings pitched and has made a team-high seven starts. Meanwhile, Jarek Woodward has been a reliable bullpen arm, securing his first save of the season on March 16 with 1.1 scoreless innings. Woodward owns a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings and has not allowed an earned run in his last 5.1 innings of work.

Julian Mlodzinski has delivered consecutive scoreless relief appearances, tossing two no-hit innings against FGCU on March 11 and 1.1 scoreless frames against Bucknell on March 15.

HISTORY WITH THE GAMECOCKS
Friday's matchup marks the 15th all-time meeting between FIU and Jacksonville State and their second series as CUSA foes.

Last season, the Panthers traveled to Jacksonville, Alabama, where they won the series finale in dramatic fashion with a 13-10, extra-inning victory on April 7, 2024.

SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE
Jacksonville State enters conference play with a 14-7 record after securing back-to-back extra-inning wins over Southeast Missouri on March 16 and a 6-4, 10-inning victory at Samford on March 18.

The Gamecocks were projected to finish 10th in the CUSA preseason poll following an 18-34 campaign last season.

They are hitting .270 as a team, led by redshirt junior Colton Hegwood, who boasts a .378 batting average with 28 hits, eight doubles, three triples, and 14 RBIs. Ace Williamson leads the team with four home runs and is second in RBIs (15), while Drew Collins tops the team with 16 RBIs.

On the mound, Jackson Phipps has been the Gamecocks' Friday night starter, holding a 2.49 ERA in five starts with 24 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. He is coming off a season-high seven-inning performance against Southeast Missouri on March 14, allowing just three hits with five strikeouts. Steven Cash has made five starts, tossing 25 innings, including a 6.1-inning, three-run effort against SEMO.
 
In the bullpen, Joe Scarborough owns a 2.35 ERA in seven appearances with two saves, while Owen Arndt has posted a 2.57 ERA across seven outings.
 
UP NEXT
FIU heads to Daytona Beach, Fla. for a midweek contest against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats on Tuesday, March 25 at 6 p.m. It can be streamed on TheCatEYE Network

BAPTIST HEALTH
Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics

SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUBaseball on Facebook and @FIUBaseball on Twitter and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.