VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers will make one of their longest road trip of the season as they travel to #13 Delta State for a weekend series starting on Friday, Mar. 14 at 1 p.m. ET followed by game two that afternoon with game three slated for Saturday, Mar. 15 at 2 p.m. ET.
Battle of the Best
Delta State is currently sitting atop the GSC standing with an overall record of 17-5 overall and 10-2 in GSC play while the Statesmen are on a five game win streak. Valdosta State sits half a game behind them as the Blazers are 13-10 overall and 9-2 in the GSC play and have won three in a row. DSU is a perfect 10-0 at home while VSU is 6-5 on the road in 2025.
A Look at the Statesmen
Delta State is currently ranked #12 in the NCBWA poll as they have continued to climb the rankings with their strong play. DSU is led by head coach Rodney Batts, who is 150-102 in his six years in Cleveland and has surpassed two wins in his past four seasons. The pitching has been Batts' strong suit, as his arms currently carry an ERA of 3.29 which is ranked first in the GSC. The Blazers will have a tall task of facing Drake Fontenot, who is 5-0 on the year and has not allowed a run in his past four starts while holding an ERA of 0.68 on the season while striking out 46 and only walking seven. Fontenot has pitched in 39.2 innings and allowed a total of three earned runs while opponents are hitting just .197 against the tall righty. At the plate, DSU is hitting .287 as a team which is ranked third in the GSC while Brett Burrell is hitting a scorching .465 which is third in the league while driving in 30, which is tied for second.
Blazin' Past the Competition
After starting off 2025 slow, Valdosta State has rattled off eight wins in their past nine games as they sit at 13-10 overall after starting the year 2-8. Head coach Jan Weisberg is in his first season at the helm of VSU and has excelled as of late. The Blazer bats have been churning through opposing pitchers with the team hitting .312 through March 11 as they are ranked first in the GSC in hits (243), 2B (49), RBI (161), Slugging % (.478), and runs (181). Individually,
Marcos Sevillano is leading the team and league in batting average as the left fielder is hitting .466 on 27 hits with a .549 OBP while smacking seven doubles and driving in 14.
Orlando Pena has been the big bat in the middle of the order for coach Weisberg, as the third baseman is leading the league in RBI with 32 and is second in the league in homers with seven.
DJ Banks has been a producer at the two hole, as the second baseman leads the team in hits with 36 and has reached base in all 23 games so far. On the hill, all three Blazer starting pitchers either set or tied their career high in strikeouts last weekend as
Zac Dodson fanned eight while
Hunter Booth and
Drake LaRoche reached double digits with Booth setting ten down as LaRoche sealed the crucial series win with seven shutout innings as struck out 11 last Saturday versus West Alabama.
Hunter Booth is 3-2 on the year and holds a 2.75 ERA to lead all qualified pitcher on the team while also leading the team in punchouts with 35.
Zac Dodson has been a perfect game on starter as the senior is 3-3 in six starts with an ERA of 3.71and has held opponents to a .259 batting average.
