VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team is set to head to Livingston, Ala. for a three-game Gulf South Conference series against No. 13 West Alabama. The series kicks off with a doubleheader set for 2 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Mar. 9 before the series finale on Sunday, Mar. 10 at 2 p.m. ET.
 
Blazer fans can access links to video streaming, live stats, rosters and more at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.
 
Last weekend, VSU had a successful homestand taking two out of three games in a GSC series matchup against Union. The Blazers took the tight 4-3 victory in the first game of the series as sophomore Saylor McNearney delivered a clutch three-run home run in the sixth, sealing the opening contest. VSU dropped the second game after Union rallied in the seventh, winning the game to a final score of 6-5. In the rubber match on Sunday, Valdosta State got behind early, 2-0, before the offense exploded for a massive six-run fourth inning. The Blazers never looked back and ended up locking up the series in the finale, 8-2.
 
Earlier this week, it was announced by the conference office that freshman Toree Wofford earned Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week following her string of excellent performances in the circle last weekend. The award marks Wofford's third weekly conference honor of the early season and is the fifth overall nod for VSU softball this year. The Dallas, Ga. native picked up two wins over the Lady Bulldogs, improving her season record to 5-0 overall. For the weekend, Wofford recorded a 1.91 ERA allowing just four runs, three earned, through 11 innings of work while also tallying her fourth complete game of the year. She fanned five batters while only walking one.
 
So far this season Wofford (5-0) has a 3.20 ERA in 13 appearances with nine starts. She has four complete games with one save in 46 innings of work. Collectively, she has allowed 28 runs (21 unearned) on 54 hits with 20 strikeouts and only five walks for the season so far.
 
For the series against Union, senior Aniston Gano led the Blazers at the plate, hitting a team-high .571 for four runs on four hits including two homers for four RBI. Meanwhile, junior Carly Bogart tallied two runs on two hits including a massive RBI double in Sunday's series finale. Junior Abby Sulte also made some noise in the series matchup, tacking on two more home runs for five RBI, bringing her season total to a nation-leading 15 home runs.
 
Overall, Valdosta State currently holds a 14-9 overall record with a 7-2 mark in the GSC. The Blazers have tallied 190 hits in 23 games including 19 doubles, four triples and a nation-leading 48 home runs for 2.09 home runs a game. VSU has cashed in 157 total runs and 141 RBI while hitting a collective .312 and slugging .593. The Blazers also show extreme patience at the plate, ranking fifth in the nation in walks with 98 on the season.
 
For the season, Carly Bogart leads the team in hitting percentage, bolstering a .477 average on 21 hits in 44 plate appearances. Meanwhile, Abby Sulte leads the team in runs (30), hits (27), home runs (15), RBI (32) while slugging a team-high 1.074 percent. Senior Morgan Hill leads the team in doubles with six while also racking up 25 hits for 25 runs and six stolen bases. Aniston Gano and junior Brandie Seber continue to make plays for the Blazers as Gano has tacked on nine homers for the year while Seber has tallied 25 hits including two doubles and two triples for a .352 batting average.
 
No. 13 West Alabama comes into the conference matchup with a 13-7 overall record while sitting at 4-5 in GSC play. The Tigers recently dropped three to Auburn Montgomery on the road last weekend before bouncing back in a non-conference game against Spring Hill, 4-1. UWA continues to be led by head coach Stephanie DeFeo, who is in her third season at the helm of the Tigers. VSU holds the program record against UWA since 2012, winning 29 of the last 34 contests. Most recently, the Blazers defeated the Tigers in a three game series in Valdosta just last season, dropping the first game before bouncing back to take the final two. West Alabama went on to have a successful 2023 season, falling to Alabama Huntsville in the GSC Championship Final before clinching a berth in the NCAA DII South Regional.
 
Individually, UWA is led at the plate by Marissa Mitchell who is batting an impressive .475 with 27 runs on 29 hits. She has racked up seven doubles and 10 home runs for 33 RBI while slugging a team-high 1.082 percent. On the other side, the Tigers are led in the circle by Madison Wright, a pitcher the Blazer should be all too familiar with after facing her twice in 2023. Wright (7-3) currently hoists a 3.64 ERA, allowing 43 runs on 79 hits while striking out 55 and walking 14. For the season, she has started 11 games while having 13 total appearances and eight complete games with one save.
 
Following the road trip to Livingston, the Blazer softball team will hit the road once again for a mid-week doubleheader against Columbus State set for Wednesday, Mar. 13 at 3 p.m. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and go to the softball schedule page.