VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 12 Valdosta State baseball team is set to host Gulf South Conference foe Christian Brothers in weekend series at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Sat., April 2 starting at 12 p.m. and will conclude with a single game on Sun., April 3 at 1 p.m.
 
Fans can access links to live stats and streaming of the games at vstateblazers.com on the baseball schedule page. Check back with the site for complete recaps and stats of each game throughout the season.
 
The 20-6 record on the year marks the best start for the Blazers since 2003 through 26 games. Currently, Valdosta State is 11-3 in the GSC while the Bucs are 8-20 overall and 4-11 in GSC play.
 
Earlier this week, the Blazers faced Flagler College and defeated the Saints 9-5. For the game, VSU recorded nine runs on 14 hits with two errors.  Doskow finished the game 3 for 4 with a run scored, while Harper went 3 for 3 with two runs scored and one RBI.  Three more Blazers had two hits each, while Romano was 1 for 4 with a run scored and three RBI.  The Blazers used seven pitchers in the game as Sharp (1-0) earned the win in two innings of work.
 
The Blazers look to continue their eight game win streak on the Bucs for their longest win streak between the two teams. The Blazers took a 9-7 victory over the Bucs on their last matchup on Apr. 25, 2021. Over the past 24 games, Valdosta State only has two losses against the Bucs which they suffered on Feb. 18, 2017, at CBU and on Mar. 22, 2014, in Valdosta. The Blazers have 11-1 record against the Bucs at Billy Grant Field.
 
Offensively, the Bucs are averaging a .243 hitting percentage on the season with 206 hits, 43 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 117 RBI, 136 free passes, 136 runs scored, on 849 plate appearances.
 
Junior Jarret Fowlkes leads the Bucs hitting a .386 with 39 hits, seven doubles, one triple, two home runs, 13 RBI, and 24 runs scored. Freshman Van True follows behind hitting a .327 with 32 hits, seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 25 RBI, and 14 runs scored.
 
On the mound, the Bucs have 6.79 ERA, recorded 186 strikeouts, and have given up 253 hits, 201 runs, 167 earned runs, 117 free passes, and 39 hits-basemen.
 
Heading into the week, nationally speaking, the Blazers were 23rd nationally in ERA this season at a 3.73 clip for second in the GSC.  The Blazers are fourth nationally in shutouts with four for tops in the league, while they are tops in the league in strikeouts per nine innings at 2.54 for 41st nationally.  VSU also leads the league in triples with eight for 56thnationally.  
 
Individually, Doskow is 12th nationally in batting average at a .451 clip to lead the league, while he is 28thnationally and tops in the league in on base percentage at a .540 clip.  He is 31st nationally and leads the GSC in slugging percentage at a .793 clip.  Doskow is fourth in the GSC in doubles with ten and eighth in the league in home runs with six, while he is fifth in the league in RBI with 32.  
 
On the bump, senior Elijah Gill is fifth nationally in victories with six to lead the GSC, while he is 18th nationally and tops in the conference in ERA at a 1.50 clip.  He is second in the league in strikeouts (51) for 41stnationally, while he is third in the league in strikeouts per nine innings at a 10.93 clip.
 
The Blazers moved to No. 12 nationally in the newest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 25, while they are 25th in the NCBWA Top 25. The last time VSU was in the top 15 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 25 was 11th the week of Mar. 2, 2020. The highest ranking in the poll for the Blazers all-time was fourth on the week of Feb. 17, 2014.
 
The Blazers are fourth this week in the latest NCBWA South Region Top Ten as Tampa leads the poll, followed by Rollins at second and West Florida is third.  Nova Southeastern sits fifth to round out the top five.  Florida Tech is sixth, followed by Delta State, Savannah State, Montevallo and Florida Southern in tenth.  
 
In the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 25, this marks the fourth-straight week the Blazers have been in the poll.  Tampa leads the poll, followed by Wingate, Columbus State, Central Missouri, and North Greenville round out the top five. Point Loma (Calif.) is sixth, followed by Southern Arkansas, West Texas A&M, Colorado Mesa and Trevecca Nazerene (Tenn.) rounds out the top ten.  VSU is the highest ranked team from the GSC and second in the region behind Tampa.  Following the Blazers, Nova Southeastern is 20th, while Rollins is 23rdand Saint Leo is 25th.  Delta State is among others receiving votes, as is West Florida.
 
For Week Seven in the NCBWA NCAA DII Top 25, the Blazers sit at No. 25 with 49 points. Tampa tops the list with 471 points followed by Wingate with 453. Point Loma, Central Missouri, and West Texas A&M round out the top five. West Florida is the only other GSC school to make the list at No. 20 with 107 points.
 
For all information on Blazer baseball visit vstateblazers.com or follow Valdosta State Athletics on social media.