VALDOSTA, Ga - The No. 19 Valdosta State baseball team returns after a week off to face Georgia Southwestern at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park Tuesday, Mar. 23, with first pitch at 5 p.m. The Blazers then host a crucial series against West Florida starting Friday, Mar. 26, with a single game at 5 p.m., followed by a doubleheader the following day 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 (13-6, 12-5 Gulf South Conference) are looking for its third straight win after taking its weekend series against Union, outscoring the Bulldogs 27-9. The Blazers dropped game one in extra innings but came right back to dominate the Bulldogs, completing the next two games in eight innings due to the run rule. In game two, VSU got on the board first and didn't look back, taking an early 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs tacked on a run to cut the lead down, but a big four-run inning led by a bases clearing double from Nick Lewis got the bats started again. The Blazers dominance rolled to the next day, where the score showed 5-4 after the top of the eighth. The Blazers hammered down though and scored a season high of nine runs during the bottom of the eighth to end the game.
 
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.
 
Georgia Southwestern enters with an 8-9 record overall and a 7-8 mark in the PBC. The Hurricanes were swept by UNC Pembroke this past weekend, getting outran 16-6 as well as outhit 26-19.
 
The Hurricanes got the better of the Blazers during its sole matchup earlier this season, coming away with a 10-3 win. VSU was able to get ahead first off an EJ Doskow sacrifice fly, but the Hurricanes answered with five quick runs, four of which came in the third. Chase Coker and Ben Rowdon cut the Blazers deficit to just two, but a big seventh and eighth inning gave the Hurricanes the edge to take the game. The Blazers struggled on the field as they committed three errors compared to the Hurricanes one. VSU was able to get its bats going during the matchup as it nearly matched the Hurricanes 10 hits with its nine. Jisjar Clotida led the Blazers with three hits followed by Collin Teegarden who recorded two hits during the loss. The Blazers turned to its bullpen many times during the matchup, putting 10 different players on the mound.
 
As a team, the Hurricanes are hitting .253 off of 585 at bats. GSW has scored 108 runs on the year with 26 doubles and 96 RBI. The Hurricanes have only been caught stealing four times off its 21 attempts and have been walked 93 times with 146 strikeouts.
 
West Florida enters with a 17-5 record overall and a 15-4 mark in the GSC. The Argonauts have won its last three games and nine of its last 10. A weekend sweep against Christian Brothers this past weekend, UWF outran its opposition 20-6 with help from a 14-2 series closer. Despite the lopsided score, both teams finished the weekend with 24 hits as UWF forced 12 Christian Brother's runners to be stranded during the 14-2 win.
 
The Argonauts are led by junior Sam Clement who sits at a .480 batting average with his 12 hits and six RBI. The junior has one double on the season during his 25 at bats. Leading the team in hits with 32 and batting average with .381 among everyday starters is redshirt senior Dylan Menhennett. The senior is tied for the team lead with four homeruns and is second with 19 RBI. Leading the clubhouse in runs batted in is redshirt junior Cullan O'Shea with 22 off 27 hits. He has four homeruns on the year with five doubles and one triple for a .321 batting average. Redshirt freshman True Fontenot plays the basepads well for UWF with six stolen bases off eight attempts for most on the team.
 
On the bump, the Argonauts have a combined 172 strikeouts and allow a batting average of .246 with a 3.06 ERA. Redshirt junior Evan Floyd leads UWF starting pitchers with a 1.47 ERA and overall record of 5-0. The junior has seen 43 innings and 147 batters, holding his opponents to a .170 batting average. Floyd has struck out 48 for a team-high, and has pitched two complete games, one of which was a shutout. With eight runs – seven earned, he has only allowed 25 hits. Redshirt junior Ryan Brewer holds a 4-1 record during his seven appearances, allowing its opponents to hit at a .273 clip for third-best on the team. He's given up 45 hits, 16 runs – 13 earned, 30 strikeouts and just nine walks. The pitching core has let up 175 hits and 74 runs – 64 earned.
 
As a team, the Argonauts are hitting .303 off of 745 at bats and have 226 hits for best in the GSC. West Florida has scored 148 runs on the year with 36 doubles and 132 RBI. The Argonauts have been walked 82 times with 162 strikeouts.
 
The Blazers are led by David Maberry this season who is hitting a team-best .411 from the dish, good for second in the GSC. Maberry also leads the team with 30 hits which is good for second in the nation and second in the GSC, right in front of Rowdon with 23 hits. Rowdon has smacked the most doubles with nine, tied for second in the nation and best in the conference. Rowdon also plays the base pads well where he finds himself 17th in the nation with nine stolen bases.
 
Lewis is second in average among everyday players at a .328 clip. He's appeared in 18 games this season, recording 22 hits, seven doubles, one home run, and 15 RBI. He is slugging .478 with a .444 on-base percentage. Jowenrick Daantji sits behind Rowdon for the teams fourth-best batting average, hitting .297 with 19 hits, four doubles, one triple, one home run, and 13 RBI.
 
As a team, the Blazers are third in the league hitting .296 on 192 of 649 from the plate, while scoring 139 runs for 14th in the nation and fifth in the GSC. The Blazers have knocked down 45 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 124 RBI. The team is slugging .436 and reach base at a .391 clip, have been walked 85 times, hit 20 times and fanned 142 times. VSU has 22 errors on the year for a .968 fielding percentage.
 
On the bump, VSU boasts a 3.90 ERA in 166 innings for 40th best in the nation. The Blazers have allowed 145 hits, 86 runs – 72 earned, walked 53 and fanned 183. The opposition is hitting .234 against the Blazers with 33 doubles and 10 homeruns. Senior Tristan Cone is 3-1 with a 4.41 ERA in 32.2 innings with 40 strikeouts. Cone has allowed 28 hits and has walked just seven batters. Senior Zach Henderson has pitched 20.1 innings, allowing 18 hits with five runs scored for a 1.77 ERA while walking eight batters and striking out 20.
 
Following the weekend series versus West Florida, VSU will hit the road for a weekend series versus Delta State with a single game set for 6 p.m. E.T. Apr. 2, followed by a doubleheader the following day with first pitch set for 2 p.m. E.T.