VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team is set to hit the road to take on Flagler in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday before facing Lee for a Gulf South Conference series this weekend. The doubleheader with Flagler is set for Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. while play against Lee will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. and will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m.
 
Fans can access links to video streaming, live stats, rosters and more at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.
 
Last Wednesday, VSU kicked off its 2024 home slate with a non-conference doubleheader against West Florida in which the Blazers scored a split against the Argonauts. Valdosta State won the first game in six innings to a 13-5 score as the Blazer offense exploded for 13 runs on 10 hits including a double and six home runs as junior Abby Sulte recorded her second two home run game of the season. The Blazers ended up coming up short in the second game of the day to a final score of 6-4 as the Argos went up 3-0 early in the first and never looked back.
 
Valdosta State continued its 2024 home stand by opening GSC play against Auburn Montgomery last weekend. The Blazers split with the Warhawks in a doubleheader on Friday before sealing the conference series victory in the rubber-match on Sunday. VSU took the first game of the series, 8-1, as the Blazer offense poured on 12 hits for eight runs including home runs from senior Morgan Hill and junior Carly Bogart.  In the nightcap, the Blazers got behind early in the first, 4-0, and were never able to catch up, falling 12-7 by the end of the evening. In the final game of the series, Valdosta State was clicking on all cylinders, connecting on 11 hits for 11 runs including four homers from senior Katie Proctor, senior Aniston Gano, sophomore Saylor McNearney and Hill as Gano blasted the first Blazer grand slam of the season to take the series rubber match in six innings, 11-3. The conference series victory over AUM marks the first time the Blazers have beaten the Warhawks in a series since 2020.
 
For an impressive week of showings in the circle, freshman pitcher Toree Wofford was named Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week for a second week in a row. The Dallas, Ga. native tallied two wins and two complete games over the weekend against AUM. Over a five-game stretch, Wofford recorded a team-best 1.87 ERA over 15.0 innings of work, giving up 12 hits for just five runs with one walk and four strikeouts in three total appearances. For the season, Wofford (3-0) has a team-best 1.91 ERA in eight appearances with five starts. She has three complete games with one save in 29.1 innings of work. Collectively, she has allowed 14 runs on 29 hits with 11 strikeouts and only four walks for the season so far.
 
The Blazers currently hold an 8-7 overall record with a 2-1 mark in the GSC. Collectively, Valdosta State has tallied 128 hits over 15 games including 13 doubles, three triples and 27 home runs. VSU has cashed in 89 total runs and 84 RBI while hitting a collective .323 and is slugging .576.
 
Individually, the Blazers are led at the plate by junior Brandie Seber, who is batting .395 with 17 hits for 10 runs with two double and two triples. Meanwhile, junior Carly Bogart, who was named Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athlete of the Week, has been making her way up the stats sheet, batting .600 with 15 hits in 25 plate appearances including one double and three home runs for seven RBI. VSU veterans Hill, Sulte, Proctor and Gano continue to be a problem for opposing pitchers as Sulte leads the team in home runs with seven while Hill has a team-best four doubles and a .830 slugging percentage. Proctor currently leads the Blazers in on-base percentage at .490 while Gano has a team-high 17 RBI following her grand slam on Sunday.
 
Flagler enters the mid-week doubleheader with a 11-5 record following the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational in Due West, S.C. last weekend in which the Saints went 2-2. The Saints are led by head coach Kathryn Grant who is 145-143 in her seventh season at the head of the program. Valdosta State holds a 13-6 program record over Flagler since 2014 with the Blazers sweeping the Saints just last season in a mid-week doubleheader at Steel's Diamond.
 
Individually, the Saints are led at the plate by Hannah Smith and Emily Ricci with Smith batting a team-high .491 with 12 runs on 27 hits including five doubles while Smith is batting .408 with 15 runs scored on 20 hits including three doubles and a home run. Another notable batter for Flagler is Mackenzie Smith who leads the team in home runs with five as well as RBI with 18. Jordan Sheets (4-2) leads the Saints on the mound, bolstering a 2.54 ERA with four starts and eight total appearances. Over two complete games and 30.1 innings pitched, Sheets has allowed 38 hits for 14 runs with 18 strikeouts and five walks.
 
Looking forward to this weekend, Lee currently sits at 6-0 overall with a 3-0 mark in GSC play after sweeping Shorter in Rome, Ga. last weekend. Before hosting the Blazers this weekend, the Lady Flames will also compete in a non-conference doubleheader against Lincoln Memorial University on Wednesday on the road. The Lady Flames are led by long-time head coach Emily Russell who is 710-403-1 in her 22^nd season as the head of the program. VSU holds the program record against Lee since 2016, 15-4-1, with the Blazers most recently sweeping Lee in a GSC three-game series last season in Valdosta.
 
Individually, the Lady Flames are led at the dish by Alexa Scalzo who is batting a staggering .609 with 14 runs on 14 hits including a pair of doubles and a home run for eight RBI. Meanwhile, Marquila Howell leads the team in slugging at 1.083 percent while Laney Harris is a longball threat with four home runs for 12 RBI. On the other side, Olivia Tyson (4-0) has seen the most action in the circle for Lee this season, pitching 20 total innings with four total starts and two complete games. Tyson holds a 4.90 ERA with 14 runs scored on 26 hits while tallying 12 strikeouts and 10 walks this season.
 
Following this week's road trip, the Blazer softball team will be back in action at Steel's Diamond next weekend in a conference series against Union, beginning on Saturday, Mar. 2 at 2 p.m. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and go to the softball schedule page.