VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State baseball team returns home to host Union this weekend in Gulf South Conference play at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park. The Blazers are 10-6 overall and 1-2 in Gulf South Conference play, while Union enters at 6-7 overall and 0-3 in league play.
VSU is coming off a disappointing 4-2 loss at Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday as it outhit the Hurricanes and held a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, but was unable to hold the lead as GSW scored four runs over the final three innings for the victory.
The Blazers started the season 8-1, but have gone 2-5 in their last seven games. Through 16 games, the Blazers are hitting .287 with 147 hits in 513 at bats, scoring 85 runs with 27 doubles, one triple, three home runs and 70 RBI. The team is slugging .361 and reaching base at a .391 clip with 72 walks and 19 hit batsmen. VSU is 24 of 35 in stolen bases and has a .966 fielding percentage with 19 errors leading to 11 unearned runs.
From the dish, the Blazers are led by junior
Logan Stephens at a .407 clip on 11 of 27. He has scored five runs with one double and three RBI. Senior
DJ King leads the team with 23 hits and is second in average at .383 as he has scored 13 runs, five doubles and driven in seven. Senior
Josh Broughton is third in average at .344 on 22 of 64 from the plate with 13 runs scored, a team-high seven doubles, one triple and nine RBI.
On the bump, VSU boasts a 2.72 ERA in 135.2 innings, with one complete game, two shutouts and six saves. The Blazers have allowed 100 hits, 52 runs – 41 earned, walked 71 and fanned 178. Teams are hitting .204 against the Blazers this season.
Junior
Cooper Cain was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) National Pitcher of the Week this week after he threw a complete game, no-hitter in an 8-1 win over Kentucky Wesleyan on Sunday. It was Cain's first no-hitter and the sixth Blazer baseball history.
Cain is 2-1 on the year with a 2.25 ERA in four starts with one complete game. He has pitched a team-high 20 innings, allowing nine hits, seven runs – five earned, walked 11 and fanned a team-high 35 as teams are hitting .129 against him. Junior
Tristan Cone is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five appearances with three starts. He has two combined shutouts in 20 innings, allowing 18 hits, five runs – four earned, walked seven and fanned 30 as teams are hitting .228 against him. Junior
Anthony Dahl is 2-1 in four relief appearances for 9.2 innings, allowing five hits, two runs – one earned walked four and fanned nine for a 0.93 ERA. Senior
Trevin Eubanks has a team-high three saves on the year.
Union has dropped its last five games, including being swept at then-No. 7 Delta State and losses at Arkansas State and at Henderson State. The Bulldogs are hitting .210 for the season with 87 hits, 40 runs, 19 doubles, three triples, three home runs and 35 RBI. The team is slugging .292 and reaching base at a .306 clip with 40 walks and 18 hit batsmen. Union is 10 of 17 in stolen bases and has a .943 fielding percentage with 28 errors leading to 17 unearned runs.
Nolan Milton leads the team with a .380 average in 13 starts as he has a team-high 19 hits with eight runs scored, six doubles, one triple, two home runs and 10 RBI. He is slugging .660 and reaching base at a .439 average. He is the only player hitting over .300 on the team. Josh Frantz has 11 hits and Caleb DeMariguy has ten.
On the mound, the Bulldogs have a 5.76 ERA in 109.1 innings, allowing 132 hits, 87 runs – 70 earned, walked 50 and fanned 76 as teams are hitting .291 against it. Spencer Woods is 2-0 in four relief appearances for 16.1 innings and a 2.20 ERA. Logan Portis (1-1) has pitched a team-high 19.1 innings, allowing 19 hits, 12 runs – 10 earned, walked 10 and fanned a team-high 20. Ryan Mets (1-2) has pitched 18 innings, allowing 17 hits, 12 earned runs, walked 14 and fanned 14.
Following the series, VSU continues at home as it is scheduled to face Brewton-Parker on Tuesday, Mar. 5, at 5 p.m. at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park. VSU then returns to the road at Mississippi College next weekend for a three-game series.
