GSC Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Valdosta State softball team was picked second in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Poll, announced Thursday by the league office. VSU senior pitcher
Kasie Johnson earned a spot on the preseason all-conference team.
VSU garnered three first place votes and 132 points in the poll. Alabama Huntsville was tabbed the league-favorite with 138 points and seven first place nods. Mississippi College was selected third with 117 points and two first place votes, followed by West Florida with 109 points and the remaining first place nod. Lee rounded out the top five with 89 points.
Auburn Montgomery was picked sixth (80), followed by Delta State (78), Montevallo (71), West Georgia (69) and West Alabama was tenth with 50 points. Shorter was picked 11
th(41), followed by Union (27) and Christian Brothers was 13
thwith 13 points.
The league's head coaches voted on the poll as a team received 12 points for a first place vote, 11 for a second place vote, etc. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Johnson, a native of Patterson, Ga., earned second team all-conference honors last season as she was 13-7 with a team-leading 2.46 ERA in 30 appearances with 24 starts. She had four shutouts, one combined shutout in 136.2 innings pitched. Johnson fanned 77 and walked 37, while allowing 61 runs with 48 earned. Teams hit just .244 against her for the season.
In 2018, Johnson helped lead the Blazers to a 42-13 record overall and a 23-9 record in the GSC, while earning a share of the league title with North Alabama. VSU qualified for its 12
th-straight NCAA South Regional last season, where it went 1-2.
The Blazers open the 2019 season in Gulf Shores, Ala., Feb. 2-3 with the Gulf Shores Invitational hosted by Spring Hill College. VSU then travels to the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., Feb. 8-10, and will not open the 2019 home slate until Mar. 2-3 when it faces Union in a three-game series at Steel's Diamond.
Check back with vstateblazers.com for all things Blazer softball throughout the season.
2019 SOFTBALL PRESEASON POLL
| School |
Total Points |
| 1. Alabama Huntsville (7) |
138 |
| 2. Valdosta State (3) |
132 |
| 3. Mississippi College (2) |
117 |
| 4. West Florida (1) |
109 |
| 5. Lee |
89 |
| 6. Auburn Montgomery |
80 |
| 7. Delta State |
78 |
| 8. Montevallo |
71 |
| 9. West Georgia |
69 |
| 10. West Alabama |
50 |
| 11. Shorter |
41 |
| 12. Union |
27 |
| 13. Christian Brothers |
13 |
