VALDOSTA, Ga. - Two of the top four teams in the Gulf South Conference standings meet as Valdosta State welcomes North Alabama to Billy Grant Field this weekend for a three-game GSC series. The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday followed by a single game at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
The Blazers, who are ranked No. 23 in the latest Collegiate Baseball News poll, enter the weekend with an 11-4 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Gulf South Conference play, which currently puts Valdosta State third in the GSC rankings. VSU enters the weekend's play batting .350 as a team and averages 9.5 runs per game. Valdosta State has shown some power in the early part of the season as it has hit a GSC-best 18 home runs while also leading the conference in doubles with 39.
Bryant Hayman, who hits .446 and has driven in 24 runs, and
Kevin Cruz, who bats .441 and has driven in 17, both have five home runs on the season while
Hayden Jones, who leads the squad with a .463 batting average, and
Michael Gouge, who has scored 18 times and driven in 16, have each hit three.
Meanwhile, the Blazer pitching staff owns a 4.41 earned run average.
Mitchell Cody has tallied a 3-0 record and
Kyle Andre has gone 2-0, with Cody sporting a 2.14 ERA and Andre a 3.20. Valdosta State's hurlers limits opponents to a .245 batting average and 4.8 runs per game.
North Alabama has also enjoyed a successful start to the season as it is currently 9-3 overall and 3-2 in GSC action, which places the Lions fourth in the league standings. The Lions bat .307 as a team and score 7.3 runs a contest. UNA fields the ball well as it is second in the conference with a .973 fielding percentage and is also second in the league in stolen bases with 28.
The Lion pitching staff currently owns a 3.91 earned run average and has allowed 51 runs, an average of 4.3 per game, on the season. Foes bat .299 against North Alabama.
