VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 3 Valdosta State softball team is set to host No. 6 Auburn Montgomery for a decisive Gulf South Conference series on April 15-16 at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park. The Blazers will start the series with a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. and will conclude the series with Senior Day on Saturday at 1 p.m.  
 
The Blazers moved up one spot to No. 3 in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 this week. UT Tyler (Texas) remained on top of the poll, garnering all 16 first place votes, while Rogers State (Okla.) moved from third to second and VSU improved for fourth to third. 
 
Blazer softball will have the honor of highlighting four seniors this year Saturday's final game of the series.  The Senior Day festivities will begin at approximately 12:40 p.m.  The 2022 senior class includes; Hunter Meadows, Ally Clegg, Nikki Pennington and Baylee Everson.  Best of luck to each of these outstanding seniors in their future endeavors.
  
The Blazers are 27-5 on the season and top the GSC standings with a 19-1 conference record and head into the weekend after a series sweep over West Georgia last weekend. Junior pitcher Samantha Richards reached 500 career strikeouts in the Blazers' 12-1 rout over UWG Sunday and is one strikeout away from breaking into the GSC top 10 for career strikeouts.  In the doubleheader on Saturday, the team combined for 20 runs on the afternoon, including five home runs and took down the Wolves 6-5 in game one and 14-6 in game two.  
 
This week, the Warhawks are 30-6 overall and 18-3 in the GSC. On the season, Auburn Montgomery has 296 hits, 222 runs scored, 50 doubles, four triples, 30 home runs, and 192 RBI.  Offensively, Haley Ann Frank leads the Warhawks hitting .378 with 98 hits, six doubles, 10 RBI, and 28 runs scored.  Defensively, the Warhawks have a combined 2.51 ERA with 162 strikeouts and have given up 209 hits, 107 runs, and 73 free passes. 
 
For the Blazers, sophomore Aniston Gano sits 29th nationally and tops the league with a .535 on-base percentage and has 33 hits through 85 at-bats along with 27 runs, nine home runs, 31 RBI, and a .388 batting average.  Pennington has eight home runs on the year along with 30 hits, 27 runs, 31 RBI, and a .333 batting average through 90 at-bats. Sophomore Katie Proctor, this week's GSC Co-Player of the Week, has a .397 batting average along with five home runs, 29 hits, eight runs and 26 RBI through 73 at-bats. The Blazers have also outscored their opponents 236-91 this season. 
   
In the circle, head coach Thomas Macera has utilized his entire pitching staff throughout the season. Junior Samantha Richards (21-2) has recorded 200 strikeouts, good for league-best in the GSC and sixth-best nationally. She has held her opponents to 46 runs, 99 hits, 33 earned runs and 33 walks for a 1.69 ERA through 136.2 innings pitched. Richards also leads the GSC in victories and has the lowest earned run average. Sophomore Mia DeAngelis (4-2) has fanned 32 batters and has given up 20 earned runs, 15 walks and has a 2.88 ERA through 48.2 innings. Sophomore Morgan Hill (2-1) has 15 strikeouts on the year and has given up 21 earned runs, 25 hits, 14 walks and has a 7.35 ERA through 20 innings of work. 
 
Following the series with AUM, the Blazers will travel to Pensacola, Fla. on April 23-24 to take on the West Florida Argonauts for the final conference series of the year and will round out the regular season with a pair of non-conference doubleheaders hosting Columbus State on April 27, and traveling to Young Harris on April 30.  
 
For all updates on Blazer softball visit vstateblazers.com or follow Valdosta State Athletics on social media.