weekend watch

Jackson State is second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in hitting, slugging, runs and stolen bases. Who’s first in all those categories? Alabama State, which comes to Braddy Field this weekend for an Eastern Division showdown. JSU is 21-16, 15-3. The Hornets, who also lead the SWAC in ERA, are 24-17, 13-5. Of note: Tigers two-way star Desmond Russell is out with a leg injury. … Mississippi State (30-9, 8-7 SEC), trying to sustain its climb in the West, is hosting Auburn this weekend. (Thursday night’s game was suspended by weather and will be resumed today.) Keep a watch on Bulldogs slugger Hunter Renfroe, who leads the SEC in hitting (.429) and slugging (.865) and is tied for the lead in homers (13). … Ole Miss (26-12, 7-8), also on the rise, throws ace Bobby Wahl at Tennessee tonight. Wahl is 7-0 with a 1.40 ERA. … Southern Miss (19-17, 8-4 C-USA) puts its eight-game win streak on the line tonight at old rival Memphis. … Delta State, leading the Gulf South Conference with a 15-2-1 mark, welcomes West Georgia to Ferriss Field in Cleveland this weekend. The highly ranked Statesmen (32-5-1) lead the league in ERA (2.89), and top starters Josh Branstetter and Michael Manley are a combined 12-1. … Mississippi College, eliminated from American Southwest Conference postseason contention last weekend, ends its conference season against Ozarks at Frierson Field in Clinton. The Choctaws (15-20, 5-10) will recognize 11 departing seniors, including top hitter Josh Perez, before Saturday’s twinbill. … Millsaps (25-9, 15-3), in the driver’s seat in the Southern Athletic Association race, takes on old rival Rhodes in Memphis. … Belhaven is 32-16 and 15-9 in the Southern States Athletic Conference heading into a series at Emmanuel in Georgia. The Blazers get mash from Bud Britt (eight homers) and dash from Reagan Rutledge (41 steals in 42 attempts). … William Carey, ranked No. 17 in NAIA, is 31-16, 17-7 SSAC with Mobile coming to Hattiesburg. The Crusaders’ Vito Perna ranks among the conference’s top hitters (.378) and pitchers (3.12).