JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Baseball returns home this weekend for a key ASUN series against FGCU at John Sessions Stadium.
The Dolphins (19-16, 9-6 ASUN) sit in second place in the ASUN Graphite Division, just behind Stetson, and are aiming to create distance from the pack with a strong showing against the Eagles. FGCU (15-21, 6-9 ASUN) enters the series in fifth place.
First pitch for the three-game set is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Thursday. Game two is set for 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 18, and the series finale is set for Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased
here, with all three games streamed live on ESPN+ and live stats available
here. Additionally, Jacksonville will be holding student raffle giveaways during Thursday's game and will host a community Easter Egg Hunt at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday for local children and families.
In their last meeting with FGCU, Jacksonville dropped two heart-wrenching games to open the series. On Friday, the Dolphins lost a marathon 13-11, and in Game 2, the Eagles walked it off with a 5-3 win. However, Jacksonville stormed back in Game 3, which looked like it could end in a sweep as the Dolphins trailed 6-0 heading into the sixth inning.
A dramatic offensive explosion saw the Dolphins score 13 runs over the final four innings, securing a 13-7 comeback victory. The Dolphins rallied with key performances from
Blake DeLamielleure, who drove in six runs, and
Jaden Bastian, who added a solo home run to cap off the win.
Taking the mound tonight for the Dolphins is
Richard Long, who has been one of the most consistent pitchers in the ASUN this season. Long (5-3) enters the series with a 2.73 ERA (third in the ASUN), a 0.96 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts over 56.0 innings, limiting opposing hitters to just a .195 average.
He has started all nine games he's appeared in, including two complete games, and has allowed just 17 earned runs.
Collin Rothermel, who is tied with Long and others for the ASUN lead with five wins, has also been dominant. Rothermel leads the conference with a .176 opposing batting average and ranks third in strikeouts with 54. Out of the bullpen,
Nick Anello has been stellar, ranking second in the ASUN with seven saves. Together, this pitching trio has been a key factor in the Dolphins' strong season on the mound.
At the plate, Jacksonville's offense is anchored by
Jonah Shields, who leads the team with a .383 batting average and 49 hits. His average ranks fourth in the ASUN. Bastian brings a combination of power and speed to the lineup, hitting .336 with seven home runs and 43 runs scored, which ranks third in the ASUN. He also leads the conference with 22 stolen bases and ranks first on the team in slugging percentage (.620) and total bases (85).
Josh Steidl (.328) brings balance to the lineup, with six home runs, 28 RBIs, and a team-high 26 walks. Meanwhile, DeLamielleure leads JU in RBIs (36) and doubles (9) and has started every game this season.
Jacksonville ranks among the ASUN's top offenses, combining speed and power with five players reaching 25 or more hits so far this season. DeLamielleure is fourth in the ASUN in RBIs, while Bastian, Shields, and DeLamielleure are all ranked in the top five for stolen bases in the conference. Bastian also leads the ASUN in triples. With a well-rounded lineup, the Dolphins continue to excel both offensively and on the base paths.
With just a few weekends remaining before postseason play, this home series could prove pivotal in shaping the Dolphins' seeding in the ASUN tournament.
