The longest, and perhaps most heated, diamond rivalry in the ASUN will be renewed this weekend at Melching Field when Stetson hosts Jacksonville in a three-game weekend series.
 
The Hatters (35-11, 9-3) lead the race for the ASUN title by just one game over the defending regular season league champion Dolphins (31-14, 8-4). Both teams come into the weekend ranked among the top 20 in the nation in the all-important Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) with Stetson ranked 15^th as of Thursday and JU coming in 19^th.
 
All three games in the weekend series are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN3 with Evan Weston and Robert Goldberg calling the action. Game times are set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday with the series finale scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Stetson enters the weekend with a two-game lead in the all-time series against JU, 86-84-2. The series, which was first played in 1958, is separated by a total of four runs over 172 total meetings. The Dolphins have scored a total of 913 runs and Stetson has scored 909.
 
Stetson has played only one program, Rollins College, more than Jacksonville. The Hatters and Tars have played 196 times, but not once since 1993.
 
Stetson and JU have been members of the ASUN together since 1999 when the Dolphins joined the league and are the two longest tenured schools. Since beginning play as league foes, Stetson leads the series against JU 36-28.
 
If history is any indication, it is very unlikely that there will be a sweep for either team this weekend. The last sweep in the regular season series was 2001 when the Hatters swept in DeLand, posting consecutive sweeps in 2000-01.
 
Going back to 2011, Stetson has won six of the last seven regular season series against JU, with only the Dolphins series win in DeLand in 2016 as the exception. Since becoming league foes, Stetson own a 12-7 advantage is series wins. The Hatters and Dolphins have also been frequent foes in ASUN Tournament play, having met eight times with JU holding a 5-3 advantage in those games.
 
Several Hatters have had success against JU in the past. Senior Austin Hale is 7-28 (.250) in his career with 6 RBI, Jacob Koos is 6-15 (.400) with 4 RBI, Jorge Arenas is 5-14 (.357) with 3 RBI, Austin Bogart is 5-14 (.357) with an RBI, Mike Spooner is 3-13 (.230) with two RBI and Brooks Wilson is 1-2 (.500) with an RBI. That group has combined for four doubles and three homes runs.
 
On the mound, Wilson has worked 17.2 innings against JU in three starts with an 0-2 record and a 4.58 ERA. Logan Gilbert has never started against JU, but has a 1.42 ERA in 6.1 innings in relief with a win. Jack Perkins is also 1-0 against JU with a 5.40 ERA in 6.2 innings of work. Senior Ben Onyshko has a 1.50 ERA in three outings against JU.
 
Pitching will be the order of the day for the weekend as the Hatters and Dolphins have the two best staffs in the ASUN. Gilbert (7-1, 2.76) will make his first career start against JU in the series opener and will be opposed by junior Chris Gau (6-2, 2.43), who worked five shutout innings in his start against Stetson last year.
 
On Saturday Perkins (7-2, 3.11) will look to continue his run of strong starts against JU sophomore Tyler Santana (8-1, 3.06), whose only loss this year came in a non-conference game at Georgia State back in February. He'll be pitching against Stetson for the first time in his career.
 
Sunday's game will pit Stetson sophomore Mitchell Senger (6-2, 2.79) against the veteran of the Dolphins' staff in senior Spencer Stockton (5-5, 3.84). It will be the third career start against Stetson for Stockton, who also has three career relief appearances against the Hatters. Overall, he has allowed 12 runs on 25 hits over 18.1 innings of work in his career against Stetson.
 
Both teams also have hammers at the back end of the game in arguably the top two closers in all of college baseball. JU freshman Chris Mauloni (2-1, 2.05) picked up his NCAA best 17^th save on Wednesday in a 4-3 win over Bethune Cookman. He has allowed just six earned runs in 26.1 innings of work this year.
 
Stetson counters with Wilson (5-0, 1.74), who is having an All-America caliber season with 16 saves and 62 strikeouts in 46.2 innings of work over 25 appearances. The defending, and two-time, ASUN Player of the Week is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and is on the watch lists for both the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award as well as the Stopper of the Year Award.
 
Wilson recorded his 300^th career strikeout on Tuesday in earning the win as the Hatters defeated FIU 2-1 to complete a season sweep. With that win, the Hatters are now 20-9 this year when scoring five or fewer runs in a game. Stetson is 15-2 when scoring more than five runs.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.