VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Blazers of Valdosta State softball are off to a fantastic start in 2015, but the true test starts this weekend with competition set to kick off in Rome, Ga., against Shorter in Gulf South Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
The Shorter Hawks are set to host the Blazers for a three game set, beginning with a double header on Saturday and concluding with the series finale on Sunday afternoon. The weekend tilt represents one of the more highly anticipated matchups of the 2015 season, as Shorter enters the three game series as the only remaining team in the GSC with an unblemished 5-0 record.
Valdosta State has been no pushover thus far, however. Head Coach
Thomas Macera and his squad have plowed through a bevy of non-conference matchups against some tough teams, and faltered just once in a one-run loss to Georgia College on the second day of the season.
Despite the loss, the Blazers have racked up nine victories and have outscored their opponents 74-19 in their first ten games. In addition, the team has generated a .301 average and lead the GSC in runs batted in (67), runs scored (74), and total bases (133). In addition, the team ranks second in the league in hits (77), doubles (21), homers (11), and slugging percentage (.520).
Equally impressive for Valdosta State has been their pitching staff, who has accumulated more wins than any other team in the GSC so far while also leading the league with four shutouts. The staff's 1.59 ERA positions the Blazers in third place in the GSC, and the pitching contingent has held their opponents to a miniscule .164 average, the lowest allowed of any pitching staff in the league.
As a team, Shorter has just one home run so far on the young season, but the Hawks have still proven to be a threatening lineup that can produce from top to bottom. Three different players, Niki Cook, Maggie Meacham, and Ericka Bynum, will each enter Saturday's series opener with an average of .412 or better. Meanwhile, the next three hitters on the SU batting average leaderboard, Kameron Carter, Kori Benson, and Rowland Paige, have posted averages of .385, and .385, and .364, respectively.
The weekend weather could provide as much of a challenge for the players this weekend as the opponents they each will face. As expected throughout the entire southeast this weekend, the forecast calls for incredibly cold weather throughout the next three days. Saturday's temperatures are expected to peak at 57 degrees and fall to as low as 19 degrees, while Sunday looks even colder with a high of only 37 degrees.
The weekend action will be available for Blazer Nation to follow live right here at www.vstateblazers.com, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Don't miss a minute of exciting GSC action this season, as the Blazers pursue a trip to Oklahoma City, Okla. for their fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Softball National Championship Tournament!
