VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State baseball team (10-15) closes their home stretch at Billy Grant Field with a Wednesday matchup against Saint Leo (12-10) at 3 p.m.
The Blazers enter the contest following a three-game series sweep over Delta State this past weekend, building momentum and adding three crucial wins to their conference record.
Valdosta State holds a 17-10 advantage in the all-time series against Saint Leo, though the Lions claimed both meetings between the teams during the 2025 season.
The Blazers have been led offensively by junior Charlie Banks, who is batting .324 with eight home runs and 24 RBI while posting a .983 OPS. Banks' eight home runs are tied for the most by any player in the GSC this season. Senior Brent Howard has also been a trustworthy presence consistently batting third in the lineup, hitting .293 with 27 hits, including seven doubles and three home runs, while drawing a team-high 23 walks.
Senior Jackson Webster has contributed a .274 batting average with a .446 on-base percentage along with several clutch moments, while sophomore Parker Ladd continues to provide a spark offensively in his newfound starting role, batting .400 with two home runs and a 1.055 OPS.
Additional production has come from junior Luke Flading, who has driven in 12 runs, and junior Jason Mack, who has added 15 RBI while reaching base at a .412 clip.
The Blazers have reason to be excited about the recent performance of their pitching staff. Senior Drake LaRoche has led the rotation with a 3.74 ERA and a 4-1 record across 43.1 innings, striking out 33. LaRoche followed his nine innings during VSU's upset of No. 8 West Alabama two weeks ago with a strong 6.1 innings in Saturday's win over Delta State. Junior Garrett Moody has also been a key starter, leading the team with 43 strikeouts over 34.2 innings of work and going seven innings in a win over the weekend. Junior Jack Butler pitched the full seven innings during the backend of Friday's doubleheader, posting a complete-game win along with ten strikeouts.
Relief pitching has played a role in the team's recent success as well, with senior Keaton Fuller posting a 3.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts across 9.0 innings, while junior Cam Habada has added two wins, and redshirt freshman Ty Macera has held batters to a .182 batting average.
Saint Leo enters the matchup with a strong offensive lineup led by Dylan Mass, who is batting .444 with 36 hits and 31 runs scored. Camdin Jansen (.400), Thomas DeBrower (.384), and Abrahan Rios (.380) have also contributed to the Lions offensively, while Ryan Crivello leads the team with 34 RBI and four home runs.
On the mound, Flynn Howard has been a standout for Saint Leo, posting a 1.60 ERA with 48 strikeouts across 45.0 innings. Cian Phillips and Collin Lock have also logged significant innings for the Lions this season.
First pitch between the Blazers and Lions is scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday at Billy Grant Field.
Find live stats, written coverage, streaming links, and more on vstateblazers.com and follow @VState_Blazers as well as @VState_Baseball to stay up to date with the team throughout the season.
