VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 13-ranked Valdosta State softball team returns to the road in a makeup doubleheader Thursday at Georgia Southwestern and then hosts Auburn Montgomery this weekend at Steel's Diamond to close out the month of March.
 
The Blazers are 20-9 overall and 7-7 in Gulf South Conference play heading into the week as Georgia Southwestern is 20-12 and 6-2 in the Peach Belt Conference.  Thursday's twin bill is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats for the games.
 
The AUM series will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ with Chris Caray having the call of the games.  Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more on the softball schedule page.
 
VSU swept a doubleheader from the Hurricanes in Valdosta on Mar. 6, outscoring GSW 19-1 in. pair of five-inning wins.  VSU hit .386 for the two games on 17 of 44, while scoring 19 runs with five doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI.  The Blazers slugged .750 and reached base at a .471 clip with four stolen bases.  VSU held GSW to a .136 average with five hits, one run and one RBI.  The Blazers didn't allow an extra-base hit in the twin bill and junior Giovanna Watts tossed her first no-hitter in the nightcap with three strikeouts.  
 
Since the series, GSW has gone 11-2 and will play a doubleheader at Middle Georgia State on Wednesday, before hosting the Blazers Thursday.  
 
The Blazers are coming off a disappointing 1-2 weekend at No. 10 Alabama Huntsville.  VSU had leads in each of the three games in the series, but a 6-2 start by UAH in the opener proved to be too much as the Chargers won 7-4, while VSU won the nightcap of the doubleheader 10-5.  In the rubber-match, VSU held a 7-4 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth before UAH plated five runs for a 9-7 victory Sunday. 
 
VSU sophomore Kiley Robb paced the team hitting .500 for the series against UAH on 6 of 12 with a team-high four runs scored, two home runs and seven RBI.  She slugged 1.000 and reached base at a .500 clip.  Sophomore Fallyn Johnson hit .455 with five hits in 11 at bats with two runs scored and junior Haley Garrett was 4 for 9 with three runs scored, one double, one home run and one RBI. Both VSU and UAH hit .333 for the series as the Blazers were 30 of 90 with 21 runs scored, two doubles, five home runs and 18 RBI.  VSU left 23 runners strand, while UAH left 17 on base for the series.
 
On the mound, four VSU miscues led to three unearned runs as the staff had a 6.63 ERA for the highest of the season, allowing 27 his, 21 runs – 18 earned, walked eight and fanned just 11 for the series.  Senior Kasie Johnson was 1-0 in two appearances with one start, pitching seven innings, allowing nine hits, eight earned runs, walked three and fanned three.
 
This season, the Blazers are hitting .278 on 206 of 742, while scoring 154 runs with 37 doubles, three triples, 35 home runs and 133 RBI.  The team is slugging .477 with 109 walks, six hit batsmen and VSU is reaching base at a .372 clip.  The Blazers are 34 of 38 in stolen bases for the season, while recording a .966 fielding percentage with 26 errors.  
 
Garrett leads the team in average at a .351 clip with 27 hits in 77 at bats, along with 21 runs scored four doubles and six home runs, while driving in 13.  She is slugging .636 and reaching base at a .419 clip.  F. Johnson has come on as of late and is hitting .346 in 18 games, while junior Dream Aaron is second among everyday starters in average at a .322 clip with 19 hits, eight runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI.  She has walked a team-high 25 times and been plunked three times for a .540 on base percentage to lead the team.  Junior Jordenne Gaten leads the team with 29 hits and a team-high seven home runs, while junior Logan Hill has a team-high eight doubles and junior Taylor Strickland leads the team with three triples. 
 
On the mound, VSU boasts a 2.39 ERA in 190 innings, allowing 176 hits, 79 runs – 65 earned, walked 29 and fanned 210 as teams are hitting .238 against it.  VSU has 13 complete games and seven shutouts with four saves. Sophomore Caylie Van Auken leads the team with a 1.77 ERA and a 6-3 record in 15 appearances with 11 starts, seven complete games, two shutouts and two saves.  She has pitched a team-high 75 innings, allowing 66 hits, 22 runs – 19 earned, walked ten and fanned 84.  K. Johnson is 10-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 16 appearances with 13 starts.  She has four complete games with three shutouts and one save in 70.2 innings.  Johnson also has allowed 66 hits with 28 runs – 24 earned, walked 13 and fanned a team-high 91.
 
The Canes, who were 9-10 following the VSU losses earlier, now are 20-12 heading into the Middle Georgia State series.  GSW has won four-straight games and is 12-4 at home this season.  GSW has 225 hits in 804 at bats with 166 runs scored, 39 doubles, one triple, 33 home runs and 154 RBI.  The team has walked 94 times, been plunked 26 and has a .280 batting average, while reaching base at a .371 clip and slugging at a .454 average.  
 
Individually, Kayla Kerr has a team-high 36 hits, with 20 runs scored and a .383 average.  She has seven doubles, four home runs and 29 RBI. Hayley Tierce is second in hits with 29 and has a .330 average with a team-high eight doubles, one triple and a team-best eight home runs, while driving in 21.  Sarah Beth King is third in hits with 28 and has a .364 average with five doubles, seven home runs, 12 runs scored and 26 RBI.  
 
On the mound, Shannon Gibson is 7-0 with a 1.51 ERA in 12 appearances with seven starts.  She has five complete games in 55.2 innings, allowing 58 hits, 28 runs – 12 earned, 17 walks and 29 strikeouts.  Jennifer Jernigan is 6-7 in 16 appearances with 13 starts in a team-high 67.2 innings.  She has allowed 76 hits, 39 runs – 33 earned, walked 11 and fanned 52 with a 3.41 ERA.  The Canes have a 3.34 ERA for the season in 207.1 innings.  GSW has allowed 253 hits, 137 runs – 99 earned, walked 50 and fanned 125. 
 
AUM enters the week with a 29-7 record and a 9-6 mark in GSC play as the Warhawks sit tied for fourth in the league standings.  AUM is not eligible for the postseason as this is its final year of its transition to NCAA Division II.  The Warhawks are 15-4 at home this season, 7-3 on the road and a perfect 7-0 in neutral site games.  AUM will host Columbus State on Wednesday, prior to heading to Valdosta for the series this weekend.  
 
Jaycie Walker leads the team in average (.383), hits (41), RBI (30), doubles (12) and home runs (10), as the ten round-trippers is good for second in the league and her .794 slugging percentage ranks fourth in the conference.  Olivia Aycock leads the conference with 36 stolen bases and is second on the team in average at a .375 clip.  Parker Pinholster is second in stolen bases with 23, while ranking second on the team in RBI with 28 and home runs with five.  
 
On the mound, Michaelyn Foster leads the team with an 11-2 record this season and a 0.63 ERA in 67 innings of work.  She also hits and is batting .357 with 11 extra-base knocks and 24 RBI.  AUM has a 1.26 ERA for the season in 222 innings of work, while allowing 131 hits, 53 runs – 40 earned, walked 67 and fanned 177 as teams are hitting just .172 against it.  
 
Following the AUM series, VSU returns to the road for a Tuesday doubleheader makeup at Albany State and then on the road next weekend at Montevallo.