VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State softball team is scheduled to open the 2025 Gulf South Conference slate this weekend with a three-game series at Union in Jackson, Tenn.  With the threat of inclement weather, the games have moved to a doubleheader Friday beginning at 2 p.m., ET followed by a single game scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
 
The games this weekend will be on FloCollege as will all home games and all GSC games this season.  For first time in conference history, every GSC home or conference game will be streamed exclusively on FloCollege. Fans who subscribe here can secure special pricing, and those who use an .edu email from a GSC member school can save even more on monthly or annual subscriptions. Click here for more information about FloCollege.
 
The Blazers enter at 4-7 overall this season and went 2-4 last weekend in six games in Florida.  VSU downed Florida Southern 5-0 and 10-8, before losing 4-1 and 6-0 to No. 10 Tampa and then 3-1 and 10-1 against Saint Leo.  The Blazers were able to get runners on base drawing 23 walks and seven hit batters, but hit .269 and stranded 56 runners stranded for the weekend.  VSU scored 18 runs with 43 hits, seven doubles, one triple, one home run and 17 RBI, while slugging .344.  
 
Freshman Krisley Arnold went 7 of 18 from the plate (.389) with four runs scored, three doubles and two RBI.  Junior Charlotte Phillips hit 6 of 17 for the weekend for a .353 clip, while scoring one run, along with one double and drove in two.  Junior Rachael Lee hit the lone home run for the team, going 5 for 18 from the plate with six runs scored, one double and three RBI. 
 
In the circle, graduate transfer Claire Maulding went 2-2 for the week with a 2.41 ERA in 20.1 innings. She allowed 16 hits, seven earned runs, walked four and fanned 15 as teams hit .205 against her.  She played in four games with three starts, three complete games and one shutout.  Seniors Madison Lumpp and Savannah Barfield, along with sophomore Toree Wofford all saw action over the weekend.  For the six games, VSU had a 5.64 ERA in 36 innings, allowing 47 hits, 31 runs – 29 earned, walked eight and fanned 21 as teams hit .303 against it.  VSU had four complete games with one shutout.  
 
Union enters the week with an 0-7 record after being blanked in three-straight games at Columbus State last weekend.  Union has not scored a run in the last 20 innings dating back to three runs in an 11-3 loss to then-No. 8 North Georgia on Feb. 2.  
 
This season, the Lady Bulldogs are hitting .179 with 29 hits, eight runs scored, six doubles, one triple, one home run and seven RBI.  The Lady Bulldogs are 3 of 5 in stolen bases and have walked seven times and been hit by pitches twice.  Camryn Langley leads the team with a .250 average on 4 of 16 from the dish with two RBI.  Sarah Kate Thompson is second in average at a .238 clip with five hits, one run scored, one triple and one RBI.  
 
Defensively, the Lady Bulldogs have a 7.54 ERA in 39 innings, allowing 59 hits, 50 runs – 42 earned, walked 31 and struck out 24 with teams hitting .351 against them.  Union has three complete games and have surrendered 17 extra-base hits with 13 doubles, one triple and three home runs.  Four pitchers have seen action in the circle this season as Riley Vaughn has a 5.25 ERA in 13.1 innings, allowing 15 hits, 11 runs – ten earned, walked 14 and struck out 13.  She is 0-2 on the year in three appearances with two starts and one complete game.  
 
VSU leads the all-time series with Union 24-4 dating back to Mar. 2, 2013.  The Blazers have won eight of ten in the series and went 2-1 in Valdosta last season against the Lady Bulldogs on Mar. 2-3.  This series will be the first time the teams have played in Jackson since Mar. 24-25, 2018, where VSU went 2-1 in the season series.  The Blazers have won eight of ten in Jackson in series history.  Head coach Sydney Sturner is in her third season at Union and is 52-56 there.
 
The Blazers are led by head coach Thomas Macera who is 806-262-2 at Valdosta State in his 20^th season.  The Blazers are hitting .305 this season with 90 hits, 44 runs scored, 17 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 42 RBI. The team has walked 33 times and been hit by pitches 11 times.  VSU has stranded 93 runners on base this season, while turning one double play.  Arnold is hitting .400 for the season to lead the team on 10 of 25 from the dish with five runs scored, three doubles and two RBI.  
 
In the circle, the Blazers are led by Maulding, who is 4-3 on the year with a 2.92 ERA in 38.1 innings of work.  Maulding has appeared in seven games with six starts, six complete games and two shutouts.  She has allowed 35 hits, 16 earned runs, walked eight and fanned 37.  Teams are hitting .236 against her.  The staff has a 5.43 ERA in 67 innings, allowing 90 hits, 59 runs – 52 earned, walked 19 and fanned 50 as teams are hitting .310 against it.  
 
Following the series at Union, VSU returns home to open the 2025 home slate with GSC-newcomer Trevecca Nazarene Feb. 22-23 at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Feb. 22 and a single game at 1 p.m. on Feb. 23.