VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 5 Valdosta State softball team returns home to begin a ten-game homestand this weekend with a three-game, Gulf South Conference series with Union.  Saturday's doubleheader is set for 2 p.m., followed by a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.
 
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there will be limited capacity at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park this season.  A hard capacity of 180 (one hundred eighty) fans will be admitted to each home game.  Seating includes 90 marked seats available in the grandstand and 90 marked seats in the lawn outside the outfield fence.  Fans are encouraged to come to Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park early to ensure admittance.  Gates will open one (1) hour before each game, adult general admission tickets are $5 and youth/senior tickets are $3.  Fans are encouraged to bring a lawn chair for seating outside the outfield fence.  No umbrellas or lawn chairs will be allowed in the grandstands.  No further entry will be allowed once capacity is reached.  No pets are allowed, including emotional support animals, except service animals with proper documentation.  Spectators should enter through the front gate of the ballpark.  Masks must be worn at all times while at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.
 
The games will have live streaming for all three contests, while Saturday's first game at 2 p.m. will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ FM as will Sunday's game.  Both games also will be broadcast online at talk921.com.  Fans also can access links to live stats for the contest at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.
 
VSU went 2-1 this past weekend in a pair of run-rule victories at Montevallo and then it struggled offensively Sunday, losing 2-0.  UM snapped VSU's ten-game winning streak with the victory Sunday.  The Blazers are 10-2 on the year and 8-1 in Gulf South Conference play.
 
Against the Falcons, VSU won the opener 8-0 in five innings, highlighted by a grand slam from senior Logan Hill for her first round-tripper of the season.  Hill led all of NCAA Division II in home runs last season with 12 before the season was cancelled in March due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  VSU won the nightcap 11-0 also in five innings on Saturday.  Montevallo scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning with two out on Sunday for the final margin.  VSU had some chances in the game, including loading the bases in the seventh.  The Blazers hit into four fielder's choice outs, including two in the seventh.  
 
In the doubleheader Saturday, VSU scored 19 runs on 24 hits (.480) with three doubles, four home runs and drove in 19 runs, while holding UM to five hits, no runs and a .143 average.  Sunday, UM tallied seven hits and Falcon hurler Mychael McMillan allowed three hits, walked five and fanned three Blazers in the finale. 
 
VSU jumped four spots in the newest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25, released earlier this week.   The Blazers are the highest ranked team from the Gulf South Conference and the highest in the South Region.  Alabama Huntsville sits 13^th this week, while West Florida is 23^rd and Auburn Montgomery is receiving votes for teams from the GSC.  Following VSU in the rankings from the South Region are; Rollins (7), Saint Leo (11) and Tampa is receiving votes.  The four teams ahead of VSU in the NFCA poll this week are; Southern Arkansas, North Georgia, Texas A&M-Commerce and Augustana (S.D.).
 
Union enters with a 2-15 record overall and a 1-8 mark in the GSC.  The Bulldogs dropped all three games last weekend at home to Auburn Montgomery, 12-1 (5), 1-0 and 11-0 (5).  Union also has a win over Alabama Huntsville this season in a non-conference game. 
 
For the season, Union is hitting .245 on 104 of 425, while it has scored 43 runs with 20 doubles, two triples, six home runs and driven in 41.  The team is slugging .344 and reaching base at a .308 clip with 32 walks and players have been hit seven times.  Sarah Smith leads the team in average at a .348 mark on 16 of 46, while she has scored a team-high seven runs with four doubles, one triple and seven RBI.  Alyssa Ward is second in average at .339 with six runs scored, a team-high 19 hits.  Grace White leads the team with two home runs, while Samantha McDaniel has a team-high five doubles.
 
In the circle, Gabby Morris has pitched a team-high 52.1 innings, allowing 68 hits with 50 runs – 45 earned, walked 57 and fanned 45.  She is 2-8 on the year in 11 appearances and nine starts with a 6.09 ERA.  As a staff, Union has a 7.96 ERA in 104.2 innings, allowing 163 hits, 132 runs – 119 earned with 104 walks and 74 strikeouts.  Teams are hitting .361 against Union.
 
VSU leads the all-time series with Union 20-2.  The Blazers are 11-0 at home against the Bulldogs and have won all four meetings in 2019, three in Valdosta and one in the GSC Tournament.  The Blazers have outscored Union 148-52 in the 22 meetings.  Union's last win came in Jackson, Tenn., on Mar. 25, 2018, in a 10-1 victory.  Union's first victory was on Mar. 30, 2014, also in Jackson, 8-6. 
 
This season, the Blazers are hitting .341 for the season for 24^th nationally and third in the GSC.  VSU is 30^th nationally in fielding percentage (.973) and second in the league.  The team is 30^th nationally in hits (104) and sixth nationally in home runs with 18 for second in the conference.  VSU is 11^th nationally and second in the league in on base percentage (.450), while it is 19^th nationally and second in the GSC in slugging percentage at a .561 clip.  VSU is averaging 7.25 runs per game for 25^th nationally and fourth in the league, while the 87 total runs scored is good for 19^th nationally.  VSU is tenth nationally in total bases (31), while it is ninth nationally in walks with 55.  The Blazers are averaging 2.58 stolen bases per game for 12^th nationally as the team is 31 of 32 on the base paths.  VSU is 12^th nationally in sacrifice bunts (12) for second in the league.
 
The pitching staff boasts a 0.99 ERA to lead the nation, while it is 17^th nationally in shutouts (3) and fifth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio at a 5.31 clip to lead the GSC.  VSU is first nationally in WHIP at 0.68. 
 
Individually, junior Nicole Pennington leads the team with a .455 average.  She is eighth nationally and tied with freshman teammate Morgan Hill for eighth nationally in home runs.  Pennington is third nationally in RBI with 20 to lead the GSC, averaging 1.67 per contest for 17^th nationally.  Pennington has a current 11-game hitting streak to lead the team and has reached safely in each of the 12 games this season. 
 
M. Hill has had an outstanding redshirt freshman campaign, both at the dish and in the circle. Offensively, she is 33^rd nationally in hits (18) to lead the team and second in batting average at a .419 clip.  She has 12 RBI for third on the team, and leads the GSC in runs per game at 1.42 for 34^th nationally.  M. Hill has scored a team-high 17 runs this season and is a perfect 7 of 7 in stolen bases for 28^th nationally.  She also has collected a team-high 35 total bases for 15^th nationally and third in the league.   A total of nine Blazers are hitting over .300 for the season among everyday starters.  Senior Logan Hill has reached safely in 12-straight games.
 
In the circle, sophomore Samantha Richards is 6-2 on the year in nine appearances with eight starts.  Her six victories are good for ninth nationally and second in the GSC.  She has appeared in nine games with eight starts, seven complete games, two shutouts and one save.  She has a 0.72 ERA for 30^th nationally and second in the league.  Richards' eight starts is good for seventh nationally, while she is fourth nationally in hits allowed per seven innings at 2.42 to lead the GSC.  She has pitched a team-high 48.2 innings, allowing 26 hits, seven runs – five earned, walked six and fanned 48, which is good for second in the GSC and 16^th nationally.  She has an 8.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio for 17^th nationally and tops in the league.  Her 0.68 WHIP is good for 10^th nationally and first in the league.  Richards owns a 0.86 walks allowed per seven innings mark for 31^st nationally for the best in the GSC.
 
M. Hill is 3-0 with a 0.81 ERA in four starts, two complete games and one shutout.  She has pitched 17.1 innings, allowing six hits, four runs – two earned, walked six and fanned 17.  M. Hill's ERA is good for 36^th nationally and third in the league.  She is fourth nationally in hits allowed per seven innings at 2.42 to lead the GSC.  She is second in the league to Richards in WHIP at a 0.69 clip for 13^th nationally. 
 
Following the games this weekend, VSU will host Albany State in a doubleheader on Wednesday, Mar. 17 at 4 p.m., followed by a home doubleheader with Georgia Southwestern on Saturday, Mar. 20 at 1 p.m.