VALDOSTA, Ga. – Coming off a 2-1 series win over No. 24 Mississippi College, the Valdosta State softball team closes its homestand with a non-conference doubleheader versus Columbus State on Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m. at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park. 
 
Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.  The games will be streamed live on FloCollege.  The doubleheader also will be broadcast on the radio on TALK 92.1 WDDQ FM in Valdosta and on www.talk921.com with Wade Beale having the call.  
 
VSU enters the week with a 20-13 record overall and a 15-5 mark in Gulf South Conference play after going 3-2 this past week, splitting a doubleheader at Georgia Southwestern and then snapping MC's streak of 15-straight wins with a 5-3 win and a 12-7 victory Friday, while the Choctaws won the finale 10-3 on Saturday. Columbus State enters with a 24-16 record overall and a 5-7 mark in the Peach Belt Conference.  CSU has dropped its last five games.
 
The Blazers sit atop the GSC standings with a .750 winning percentage, while AUM, Mississippi College and West Florida each are 15-6 in league play.  VSU had the finale at Union cancelled earlier in the year due to weather therefore the Blazers have not played the same number of conference games as the other teams in the league.  AUM is 24-8 overall and is 11-0 at home this season.
 
VSU has won seven of the last eight games in the series dating back to Jan. 31, 2015.  CSU won its first game in the series splitting a doubleheader in Columbus, Ga., on Mar. 13, 2024.  VSU won the opener 6-4, while CSU won the nightcap 9-8 in eight innings with a two out, RBI single on a 1-2 count.  The Blazers last entertained CSU on Apr. 27, 2022, as VSU won 8-2 and 3-0.  The Blazer have outscored CSU 47-23 in the last eight meetings.
 
For the season, VSU is ninth nationally in home runs to lead the GSC with 44.  VSU is 20^th nationally in hit by pitches to lead the league (30), while the team is 17^th in total sacrifice bunts (34) for tops in the GSC.  VSU is batting at a .303 clip for fourth in the GSC, while the team is fifth in the league in hits (266) and fourth in runs scored (181).  VSU is second in the GSC and 46th nationally in on base percentage (.397) and second in the league and 25^th nationally in slugging percentage at a .504 clip.  The Blazers are averaging 5.48 runs per game for fourth in the league in scoring.
 
Individually, senior Aniston Gano leads the GSC in batting average at a .474 clip for 18^th nationally.  She is fifth nationally in on base percentage (.584), tops in the GSC in RBIs (35), and leads the league in home runs (10) with teammate junior Saylor McNearney for 23^rd nationally.  Gano is 15^th nationally and tops in the GSC in walks per game at a 0.76 clip.  She is second in the GSC in slugging percentage at a .814 clip for 29^th nationally.  Gano has reached base safely in the last 27 games.  She leads the team with 13 multi-hit games and 12 multi RBI games.  
 
McNearney is fifth in the GSC in stolen baes (17), while she is third in the league in runs scored (33) for 68^thnationally.  In the circle, senior Claire Maulding is sixth nationally in complete games (16) for second in the GSC, while she is eighth in starts (20) for third in the league and fourth nationally in innings pitched (134.1) for second in the league.  Maulding is 18^th nationally in shutouts for second in the league (4), while she is 13^th nationally in strikeouts (128) for second in the league.  Maulding's 16 victories (16-7) is good for sixth nationally and tops in the GSC.  Head coach Thomas Macera is in his 20^th season at VSU and is 822-268-2 at VSU (.754) and is 1,028-342-2 (.750) all-time during his coaching career.
 
The Cougars enter the week 11^th nationally in double plays turned (18), while the team is 34^th nationally and tops in the PBC in ERA at a 2.42 clip.  CSU is 16^th nationally and second in the league in home runs (37), while the team is 28^th nationally and tops in the league in shutouts (7).  CSU is tops in the PBC in WHIP at a 1.26 clip.  The Cougars have a .254 batting average for the season with 190 runs scored, 273 hits, 52 doubles, and 12 triples.  The team is slugging .428 and reaching base at a .329 clip.  CSU has a 2.22 strikeout to walk ratio for 57^th nationally and second in the league.  
 
Individually Julianna Franklin leads the PBC with a 1.77 ERA for 56^th nationally.  She is tenth nationally in starts (19), third nationally in innings pitched (138.2), 17^th in appearances (24) and 18^th in shutouts (4).  She leads the league in strikeouts (124) for 19^th nationally and has a 3.88 strikeout to walk ratio for tops in the league.  Her 11 victories are good for second in the league and 43^rd nationally.  Holly Lynn leads the team with 11 home runs for second in the league and 18^th nationally.  Nova Wright leads the team in both runs scored (29) and RBIs (31), while Madison McDonald has a team-high four triples for 36^th nationally and second in the league.  Head coach Brad Huskisson is in his 17^th season at CSU and is 525-351-2 (.599), while he is in his 19^th season overall and is 598-389-2 (.606) with five seasons at Brescia (Ky.).  
 
Following the doubleheader, the Blazers return to the road for a huge three-game series at Auburn Montgomery this weekend.