VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 2 Valdosta State softball team looks to bounce back this weekend as it travels to Lee for the first Gulf South Conference road series of the 2022 season. 

The Blazers will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 26 beginning at 1 p.m., then will round out the series on Sunday again at 1 p.m. 

VSU enters the weekend with a 10-3 record, 3-0 in the GSC while the Flames currently have a 5-7 record and a 1-2 mark in the GSC. 

Lee is coming off a road series against Union, falling 6-5 and 6-1 in games one and two and then defeating the Bulldogs 11-2 to round out the series and clinch its first GSC win of the season. 

The last time VSU faced Lee was on May 6, 2021 where the Blazers opened up the GSC Championship with a 3-1 win over the Flames. Junior Samantha Richards recorded 11 strikeouts during the game. 

Valdosta State is coming off a doubleheader against Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday, and went 1-1 against the Hurricanes. The Blazers took game one 11-0 in six innings and fell in game two, 4-2 after a seventh inning comeback attempt fell short. The Blazers also fell to Tampa at the Embry-Riddle Invitational. 

For game one, Richards (6-1) tossed a complete game for the Blazers and picked up five strikeouts. In game two, Sophomore Mia DeAngelis (3-2) and sophomore Morgan Hill combined efforts, picking up five strikeouts, and allowed six hits, four runs and three walks. 

Sophomore Aniston Gano had a stellar evening, putting up two home runs, five RBI, and went 3 of 4 at the plate and scored two runs. 

The Blazers are currently hitting a .288 average and have put up 95 hits, 13 home runs, four triples and 18 doubles in 330 at bats. VSU has also outscored its opponents 79-26. 

In addition to Lee this weekend, VSU has also picked up doubleheader road games against Flagler slated for Mar. 2 beginning at 3 p.m. in St. Augustine, Fla.