VALDOSTA, Ga.- The No. 10 Valdosta State softball team has an eventful week ahead as the Blazers are set to face three opponents in seven games over the course of six days. VSU will first host Flagler College on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m., in a doubleheader before entertaining Embry-Riddle on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m., in another week-day doubleheader. The Blazers will then travel to Cleveland, Miss., to take on Delta State in a three-game, Gulf South Conference series, beginning with a doubleheader Saturday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. ET and concluding on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. ET.
Fans can access links to video streaming, live stats, rosters and more at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.
VSU recently won its first home series and conference series last weekend when it defeated Mississippi College. The Blazers split the Saturday double header with the Choctaws as Valdosta State won the first game, 8-0, in six innings while Mississippi College took the second game, 7-4. The Blazers came right back on Sunday to win the rubber match with the Choctaws, 6-4, winning the series 2-1. For the weekend, The VSU bats were hot with seven different Blazers hitting a total of 11 home runs over the weekend with senior Taylor Lewis, sophomore Abby Sulte, junior Kinzie Nelson, and junior Morgan Hill hitting multiple out of the park this weekend alone. The Blazers also hit back-to-back jacks in each of the three games this weekend.
For the season, Valdosta State at the plate is led by Hill, who is batting .417 with 10 hits in 24 trips to the plate, scoring seven runs with one double, two home runs, three RBI and two stolen bases. A couple of fresh faces for the Blazers are making a splash early with freshman Jayme Prandine batting .333 with four hits, five runs, one triple, two home runs and four runners brought home while freshman Saylor McNearney is averaging .300 at the plate, with six hits, one double, one home run, five RBI and two stolen bases. McNearney hit her first home run in a Blazers uniform in the 6-4 win over Mississippi College on Sunday.
On the bump, senior Samantha Richards has a 2.44 ERA in 28.2 innings pitched so far for the Blazers this season. She holds a 3-1 record with four complete games, two of which occurred this past weekend, with one shut out. Collectively, she has 23 strikeouts, five walks, and 12 runs scored on 29 hits against her.
Flagler College is coming into the Tuesday matchup with a 3-6 record and is under the direction of head coach Kathryn Grant, who is 119-111 in her six seasons with the Saints. Grant is 4-9 against VSU while Valdosta State leads the all-time series with the Saints since 2009, 16-6. Flagler won the most recent matchup last season on Mar. 3, 2022, 4-2 in St. Augustine, Fla.
Individually, the Saints are led at the plate by Abbey O'Connor, who is batting .387 with 12 hits in 31 at bats, scoring two runs, one runner brought in and two stolen bases. Cassidy Crump is another notable batter for the Saints, batting .350 with seven hits, three runs, six RBI and three stolen bases. Madelyn Wise and Jordan Sheets have seen the most action in the circle for the Saints with a combined 39.2 innings pitched and two complete games each. Sheets has a 0.78 ERA and a 2-1 record while allowing five runs on 15 hits, striking out five and walking seven. Wise holds a 4.20 ETA and a 0-3 record with 23 runs on 36 hits, 14 strikeouts and 11 walks.
Embry-Riddle is coming into the week 6-3 overall and 2-1 in Sunshine State Conference play. Head coach Kelsi Dunne Diaz is at the helm for the Eagles and is 197-117 In her eighth season with the program. VSU holds the all-time record against Embry-Riddle, 4-0, with the Blazers never hosting as Thursday will be the Eagles first trip to Steele's Diamond at Blazer Park.
The Eagles are led at the plate by Morgan Delaney with a batting average of .480 with 12 hits in 25 at bats, scoring seven runs, one double, four runners brought home and three successful stolen base attempts. Karina Ortiz-Munoz is batting .364 for Embry-Riddle with eight hits, five runs, one home run, three RBI and two stolen bases. Leading the charge on the mound for the Eagles is Mallory Kinahan who has a 1.52 ERA and a 3-0 record, behind two complete games and 32.1 innings. Kinahan has recorded 13 strikeouts and eight walks while allowing 34 hits and nine runs.
Delta State enters the weekend with a 3-11 overall record and will open conference play against the Blazers. Whitney Way is in her first season coaching as head coach of the Statesman and is currently 3-11 overall. Valdosta State leads the all-time series with Delta State with the Blazers winning 25 of the last 32. The Blazers are 4-8 when traveling to Cleveland, Miss. to take on the Statesmen.
MyCala Helms is the leading batter for Delta State, averaging .489 at the dish with 22 hits on 45 plate appearances with 18 runs, five doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI while also being 7-9 on stolen base attempts. Another notable name for the Statesmen is Jenny Griggers, who is .409 at the plate with 18 hits, 10 runs, three doubles and two home runs. Lacey Coats and Madison Jenkins are the main stays on the bump for DSU having 71 innings pitched between the two of them. Coats holds a 8.54 ERA with a 2-4 record and one complete game while fanning 25, walking 25 and allowing 44 hits. Jenkins has a 5.63 ERA with a 1-4 record, completing two games while tallying 13 strikeouts, eight walks and 20 errors.
Following this week, VSU will hit the road once again next weekend to take on Shorter in a three-game series, beginning with a double header on Saturday, Mar. 4 at 1 p.m. and concluding on Sunday, Mar. 5 in a single game at 1 p.m.
