VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 19 Valdosta State baseball team returns home for the first time since February to face Union at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park this weekend. The Blazers and the Bulldogs begin the three-game series with a doubleheader set for Saturday, Mar. 13 at 1 p.m., followed by a single game Sunday, Mar. 14, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
 
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there will be limited capacity at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park during all home baseball games. A hard, limited capacity of 230 (two hundred thirty) fans will be admitted to each home game. Face coverings will be required at all times for all guests over the age of 2. Fans are encouraged to come to Billy Grant Field early to ensure admittance. Doors will open one (1) hour before each game and ticket prices for adults is $5 and senior (65+) and youth (5-College w/ID) ticket prices at $3.
 
The Blazers (11-5, 10-4 Gulf South Conference) are looking to bounce back after Georgia Southwestern handed it a loss during a weekday game in Americus, Ga. A late push from the Hurricanes made the deficit too large to handle for the Blazers as it tacked on five runs during its last two innings. EJ Doskow, Chase Coker, and Ben Rowdon all added an RBI to its name to help aid the Blazers three runs. Jisjar Clotida led the Blazers with three hits during the game with Collin Teegarden close behind with two. Overall, the Blazers matched the Hurricanes nine hits but made three errors on the night.
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming and ticket information for the games at vstateblazers.com on the baseball schedule page. Please call 229-333-SEAT for more information on purchasing tickets.
 
Union enters with a 7-6 record overall and a 6-6 mark in the GSC. The Bulldogs won its last game versus Auburn Montgomery after the Bulldogs fell during a doubleheader to AUM the day previous. The Bulldogs also matched the Warhawks 22 runs over the course of the weekend but outhit its opposition 28-25.
 
The Bulldogs are led by senior Austin Zeitler who sits at a .471 batting average while also holding the team lead with 17 hits. The senior has eight doubles on the season, good for one third of the doubles hit by the Bulldogs and has 10 RBI. Leading the clubhouse in runs batted in is senior Patrick Music who totals 12 RBI off nine hits, one double, and one homerun. Sophomore Trey Frierson is a baserunner to look out for where he's attempted five stolen bases and has only gotten caught once for best on the team.
 
On the bump, the Bulldogs have a combined 92 strikeouts and allow a batting average of .271 with a 5.30 ERA. Sophomore Walker Adkisson leads everyday starters with a 3.60 ERA during 20 innings pitched off 18 hits and 15 runs – eight earned, with a 1-2 record. The sophomore also leads pitchers with over 10 innings pitched with a .222 opposing team batting average. Junior Luke Williamson leads the team with 17 strikeouts on the year and holds an overall record of 1-1. Williamson allows his batters to hit at a .319 clip as has given up 23 hits for 16 runs with 11 earned. The pitching core has let up 117 hits and 83 runs – 66 earned with 92 strikeouts.
 
As a team, the Bulldogs are hitting .247 off of 434 at bats and has 107 hits for 44th nationally and 12th in the GSC. Union has scored 93 runs on the year with 24 doubles and 78 RBI. The Bulldogs have only been caught stealing three times off its 15 attempts and have been walked 70 times with 129 strikeouts.
 
The Blazers are led by GSC Player of the Week David Maberry this season who is hitting a team-best .410 from the dish, good for third in the GSC. Maberry also leads the team with 25 hits which is good for seventh in the nation and second in the GSC, right in front of Coker with 20 hits. Rowdon has smacked the most doubles with eight, tied for the best in the nation and the conference to go along with his 20 hits. Rowdon also plays the base pads well where he finds himself eighth in the nation with nine stolen bases.
 
Nick Lewis is second in average among everyday players at a .333 clip. He's appeared in all 15 games, recording 19 hits, five doubles, one home run, and 11 RBI. He is slugging .474 with a .441 on-base percentage. Doskow is third in batting average at a .429 clip and has 17 hits, 15 RBI, and leads the team with four homeruns.
 
As a team, the Blazers are fourth in the league hitting .296 on 163 of 551 from the plate, while scoring 112 runs for 18th in the nation and fourth in the GSC. The Blazers have knocked down 38 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 101 RBI. The team is slugging .437 and reach base at a .387 clip, have been walked 68 times, hit 17 times and fanned 123 times. VSU has 21 errors on the year for a .963 fielding percentage.
 
On the bump, VSU boasts a 4.11 ERA in 140 innings for 46th best in the nation. The Blazers have allowed 127 hits, 77 runs – 64 earned, walked 44 and fanned 149. The opposition is hitting .239 against the Blazers with 27 doubles and nine home runs. Senior Tristan Cone is 2-1 with a 4.94 ERA in 27.1 innings and leads the team with 34 strikeouts. Cone has allowed 25 hits and has walked just six batters. Senior Zach Henderson has pitched 17.2 innings, allowing 17 hits with five runs scored and walking eight batters while striking out 16.
 
Nationally speaking, the Blazers rank fifth in doubles with its 38, sixth in hits with 163, and 18^th with 112 runs. In the GSC, the Blazers are first in doubles (38), third in RBI (101), and fourth in batting average (.269).
 
Following the series versus Union, VSU gets the weekend off and returns back to play Tuesday, Mar. 23, with a single game against Georgia Southwestern.