HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — The East Tennessee State Buccaneers look to continue their strong start to the season when they visit the James Madison Dukes in a nonconference baseball matchup Saturday at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.

First pitch is scheduled for the afternoon, though forecasts call for rain and a temperature of 73 degrees. The game is the second of a weekend series after Friday’s opener.

East Tennessee State (9-3) brings a winning record into the contest, having won three of its last four series. The Buccaneers are coming off a 1-7 loss at Tennessee on Tuesday but had previously won three straight against Quinnipiac, outscoring the Bobcats 28-10.

A player to watch for ETSU is reliever Cooper Jones, who has been effective in recent outings. In his last three appearances spanning 3 2/3 innings, Jones has allowed no hits and no earned runs while striking out two.

James Madison (5-6) seeks consistency after a 2-11 loss to George Mason on Tuesday snapped a two-game win streak. The Dukes’ pitching staff will aim to slow a potent ETSU lineup that has scored 10 or more runs in five games this season.

Dukes reliever Patrick Bauer has shown flashes, tossing three scoreless innings with three hits allowed and one strikeout against George Mason. However, he has struggled in other outings, including allowing four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings against Virginia Tech on Feb. 24.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the projected final score is East Tennessee State 7, James Madison 5.

Following Saturday’s game, the series concludes Sunday before both teams embark on extended stretches of nonconference play. ETSU hosts Bradley next weekend, while James Madison travels to Radford on Tuesday before a home series against Georgia Southern.