VALDOSTA, Ga. - Coming off a 4-1 weekend at the Old Coast Classic, the No. 24-ranked Valdosta State softball team returns home for the 2020 home-opener Saturday at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader versus Gulf South Conference foe Shorter.  The Blazers and the Hawks will conclude the three-game series Sunday with a single game scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
Fans can access links to live stats, streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.  Check back with the site each day for a complete recap and stats of the games.
 
VSU improved to 5-3 on the year with the games last weekend.  The Blazers dropped a heartbreaking 1-0 decision to Tampa, before rattling off four-straight wins with a pair of wins over Eckerd (8-2 / 3-2), a 7-5 win over Embry-Riddle and a 5-0 win over Wingate.  
 
For the weekend, VSU struggled from the dish, but was able to get the hits when needed, as the team went 24 of 125 from the plate (.192) with 23 runs scored, three doubles, six home runs and 19 RBI.  The team slugged .360, while it reached base at a .28 clip with 15 walks, but struck out 31 times.  VSU was 9 of 10 in stolen bases and had three errors and a .978 fielding percentage, leading to one un earned run.  
 
Senior Logan Hill had a great weekend as she went 6 of 14 from the dish (.429) to lead the team with five runs scored, one double, three home run and six RBI.  She slugged 1.143, while walking three times for a .529 on base percentage.  She earned Gulf South Conference Player of the Week honors for the first time this season. 
 
Junior Nicole Pennington hit .315 with five hits in 16 at bats, scored five runs, hit three home runs and drove in six.  She slugged .875 and reached base at a .389 average.  She was 2 for 2 in stolen baes to tie for the team-lead.  
 
In the circle, freshman Morgan Hill pitched a complete game shutout in her first performance of the season in a 5-0 win over Wingate on Sunday.  M. Hill allowed four hits, walked one and fanned nine for the win.  Sophomore Samantha Richards saw action in three games with two starts and earned a save in nine innings of work.  She walked one and fanned 11 as teams hit .161 against her.  Junior Shayne O'Connell went 1-1 in two starts last week.  The staff held a 1.85 ERA in 34 innings, allowing 30 hits, ten runs – nine earned, walked six and fanned 39 as teams hit .234 against it.  
 
The Hawks are 0-5 on the year and have had three games cancelled already this season.  Last weekend, SU played three of four schedule games in Columbus, Ga., at Columbus State, losing 10-1 to Bellarmine, 13-2 to Young Harris and 5-2 to Columbus State.  The previous weekend, the Hawks dropped games to Georgia College (4-3) and Young Harris (8-4).  
 
For the season, Sydney Poston leads the team with a .438 average on 7 of 16 from the plate with two runs scored and one RBI.  She is slugging .438 and is reaching base at a .500 clip with two walks.  Tiffany Watson and Ashley Langel are 3 of 10 from the plate each and have each driven in two runs.  Kiera Dudley leads the team with two doubles, while Lindsey Newell had the lone home run for the team this season.  
 
As a team, the Hawks are hitting .239 on the year with 28 hits in 117 at bats, scoring 12 runs with two doubles, one home run and 11 RBI.  The team is slugging .282 and reached base at a .366 clip with 20 walks.  Shorter has nine errors on the year leading to seven unearned runs and a .923 fielding percentage.  
 
In the circle, SU has an 8.56 ERA in 27 innings, allowing 48 hits, 40 runs – 33 earned, walked 14 and fanned 21 as teams are hitting .378 against it.  Shorter has allowed 11 doubles, one triple and two home runs this season.  Courtney Pinkston leads the team in innings pitched at 13.1 as she is 0-2 with a 7.35 ERA.  Pinkston has allowed 24 hits, 19 runs – 14 earned, walked five and fanned nine.  Shelby Young is 0-2 with a 9.13 ERA in 7.2 innings, allowing 17 hits, 12 runs – 10 earned, walked four and fanned eight.  
 
The Hawks were picked 12^th in the GSC Preseason Poll after a 15-27 record in 2019 and an 8-18 mark in the GSC.  VSU and Shorter had its series cancelled in Rome, Ga., last year due to inclement weather.  Shorter leads the series 12-10 since 2013 and leads 8-6 in Valdosta.  VSU has won the last four meetings in the series, earning a sweep in Valdosta in 2018.  

Following the series with Shorter, VSU heads to Auburn Montgomery for a three-game series Feb. 22-23 and returns home for a midweek doubleheader Feb. 25 versus Albany State to close out games in February.