Jax State baseball: What to know about Hattiesburg Regional

For the first time since 2019, Jacksonville State baseball is back in the postseason hunt. The Gamecocks are set to compete in the Hattiesburg Regional, hosted by Southern Miss at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Seeded No. 3 in the regional, Jax State faces a tough opening matchup against No. 2 Virginia this Friday. The first pitch is slated for 6 p.m., with live coverage available on ESPN+.

This field is expected to be highly competitive. According to data compiled by On3, the Hattiesburg Regional boasts the second-highest average RPI among the four-team groups, trailing only the Lawrence Regional.

Regional Breakdown

No. 1 Southern Miss (44-15, 22-8 Sun Belt)
The Golden Eagles enter as Sun Belt Conference tournament champions, fresh off an 11-7 victory over Louisiana. With an RPI of 12, they return to host for the second consecutive season, looking to build on last year's regional final appearance.

No. 2 Virginia (36-21, 14-16 ACC)
The Cavaliers secured an at-large bid and hold an RPI of 26. Despite a sub-.500 record in conference play, they remain a dangerous contender, standing as the second-highest ranked team in the NCAA RPI among teams with a losing conference record.

No. 3 Jacksonville State (46-13, 23-7 C-USA)
The Gamecocks arrive with momentum after winning the Conference USA tournament title with a 10-0 rout of Liberty. Carrying an RPI of 25, Jax State is tied with Georgia for the third-most wins in the country.

No. 4 Little Rock (36-26, 16-11 OVC)
The OVC tournament champions enter with an RPI of 89. Having reached the championship game of the Baton Rouge Regional as a No. 4 seed last season, the Trojans are well-versed in playing the role of underdog.

Players to Watch

• Southern Miss: Pitcher Grayden Harris, the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, anchors the rotation with an 8-1 record, a 3.20 ERA, and 106 strikeouts.
• Virginia: Center fielder AJ Garcia leads the Cavaliers with a .338 batting average, 14 home runs, and a 1.095 OPS.
• Jacksonville State: Shortstop Caleb Johnson is having a career-best campaign, hitting .313 with 21 doubles for the Gamecocks.
• Little Rock: Brannon Westmoreland leads the Trojans with a 3.00 ERA and has been lights out lately, posting a 2.38 ERA over his last 34 innings.

Tournament Schedule

Friday, May 29
1 p.m.: No. 1 Southern Miss vs. No. 4 Little Rock (ESPN+)
6 p.m.: No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Jacksonville State (ESPN+)

Saturday, May 30
3 p.m.: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
8 p.m.: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2

Sunday, May 31
3 p.m.: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4
8 p.m.: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5

Monday, June 1
Time TBD: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if necessary)