DALLAS (Interstat) — Jacksonville State and Dallas Baptist meet Saturday evening at Ellis Davis Field House in a Conference USA series finale, with the Patriots seeking a sweep after dominating the first two games.

First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. under cloudy skies with temperatures near 87 degrees.

Dallas Baptist (31-23) enters with momentum after Friday’s 10-6 victory and Thursday’s 13-3 rout. The Patriots have won four of their last five overall and are 8-4 in May. Jacksonville State (41-13) leads the league standings but has dropped consecutive games for the first time since late April.

Players to watch

Jacksonville State junior right-hander Jackson Sleeper has been a key reliever this season. Over his last seven appearances, Sleeper has a 4.50 ERA in 11 innings with 13 strikeouts. In Friday’s loss, he allowed three earned runs on zero hits over 3.2 innings, striking out five. He also earned wins against New Mexico State and Florida International earlier this month.

For Dallas Baptist, senior right-hander Russ Smith has been dominant in recent outings. He earned the win Friday, tossing five innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts and no earned runs. Over his last six appearances, Smith has a 2.47 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Series recap

The Patriots have outscored the Gamecocks 23-9 in the first two games. In Thursday’s 13-3 win, Dallas Baptist’s Luke Pettitte went 3-for-5 with a home run and Dylan Schlaegel added a homer and two RBIs. Friday’s 10-6 victory featured Smith’s strong start and a balanced offensive attack.

Jacksonville State’s Brady Thomas homered and drove in two runs Friday, while Josh Sibley threw 1.1 scoreless innings.

By the numbers

Jacksonville State boasts one of the nation’s best records at 41-13, powered by a potent lineup and deep bullpen. Dallas Baptist has been inconsistent but has shown flashes of brilliance, including a 16-4 win at Abilene Christian last month.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-5 Jacksonville State win, but the ELO system gives Dallas Baptist a 65.7% probability of victory.

Key trends

The Gamecocks are 5-2 in their last seven and had won four straight before arriving in Dallas. They have been particularly strong on the road, with a 15-6 away record. The Patriots are 14-11 at home and have won three straight conference games.

Saturday’s matchup closes a critical regular-season series for both teams, with conference tournament seeding at stake.