VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers (2-8, 1-1 GSC) are back in town for the first GSC series at Billy Grant Field in 2025 for a three-game series against Trevecca Nazarene (4-5, 2-1 GSC) starting on Friday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m.
 
The Blazers coming off a heartbreaking defeat on Tuesday night, as they were down to their final strike and rallied back to take a three run lead in the top of the ninth before falling in 12 innings to Columbus State by a 9-8 final. Half of VSU's losses have been decided by four or less runs as they have had their opportunities to steal some games but have fallen just short thus far.
 
Senior Orlando Pena has the highest batting average among the regular starters, as he is batting .306 with 11 hits while driving in three on two doubles and six runs scored. DJ Banks is tied with Peña for the team lead in hits as he also has 11 while making ten starts at second base. Banks leads the Blazers in RBI as he has driven in eight which is tied for 16^th in the GSC. In the field, Banks leads the team in fielding percentage among the infielders as he has committed one error on 47 chances for a .979 percentage early on. Senior Jovanni Canegitta hit his second bomb on Tuesday night, as he is now tied for the lead in homers with Easton Hood. At the dish, Marcos Sevillano is the overall leader in batting average as he is hitting .429 in eight games played while starting in five. The senior is also last in strikeouts among qualified hitters as he has struck out two times in 21 at-bats early into the season. Pedro Moreno has been doing his job at the top of the order, as he has drawn seven walks in his past three games and is eighth in the league in drawn walks on the year with eight.
 
We will most likely see the usual 1-2 punch of Zac Dodson and Hunter Booth on the mound this weekend, as they both put together exceptional starts last weekend at Union. Dodson went 6.2 innings and allowed five hits, and one earned run while picking up his first win of the year. Booth technically tossed a complete game as he went six strong and allowed one earned run while fanning seven in the loss to Union on Friday. For the year, Dodson leads all qualified pitchers in ERA on VSU with a 3.94 ERA in three starts while also leading the team in innings pitched with 16.0. Booth leads the team in strikeouts as he has fanned 15 in 15.0 IP, which is seventh in the GSC. Defense has been a major for issue for Valdosta State thus far, as they are last in the GSC and 161^st out of 199 teams across DII in fielding percentage as they have a .943 clip in ten games.
 
This weekend series will be the first ever matchup between Valdosta State and Trevecca Nazarene, as the Trojans joined the GSC back in the fall and are 4-5 overall and 2-1 in GSC play after they took two out of three at Auburn Montgomery last weekend. The Trojans are led by head coach Chase Spain, who is 141-77 in five seasons at TNU and has surpassed 30 wins in each of his first four season in Nashville. Spain's offense is first in the league in batting average as they are hitting .317 in nine games and scored 70 runs for a 7.8 average runs per game. Joey Parliament has had a hot stick to open 2025, as the infielder is batting .429 in nine starts while leading the team in runs scored which is tied for third in the GSC. Fellow infielder Brett Dingess has been nearly as hot, as the Murfreesboro native is batting .405 while being tied with Parliament for the team lead in hits with 15. Spencer Wilkins has settled in during his last two starts, as he has allowed a total of two earned runs in 11.0 IP while allowing a total of seven hits and striking out five. He is holding opponents to a .205 batting average and has a 0-0 record.
 
Following the weekend series, VSU will hit the road for a Tuesday night contest at Saint Leo on Feb. 25 before traveling to Huntsville, Ala. to play the Chargers on Friday, Feb. 28 and a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 1.