MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Valdosta State (11-15, 8-7 GSC) hits the road this weekend for a three-game Gulf South Conference series at Montevallo (10-17, 4-11 GSC), beginning Friday at 6 p.m. ET before a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m. ET.
The Blazers enter the weekend riding four straight wins, including a series sweep over Delta State and a midweek shutout victory over Saint Leo. Montevallo, meanwhile, comes in on a two-game winning streak after earning a 2-2 split at No. 5 West Alabama.
Valdosta State holds a 12-6 advantage in the all-time series, though the Falcons took two of three games in Valdosta last season.
For the Blazer bats, junior Charlie Banks continues to lead the way, batting .312 with eight home runs and 24 RBI. Banks' eight home runs are tied for the most by any player in the GSC. Senior Brent Howard has been a steady presence as well, hitting .295 with four home runs and 17 RBI while drawing 24 walks to lead the team.
Senior Jackson Webster has posted a .460 on-base percentage, while sophomore Parker Ladd has been one of the team's most productive hitters, batting .396 with a 1.042 OPS. Additional offensive contributions have come from juniors Luke Flading and Jason Mack, who have combined for 28 RBI this season.
In the rotation, senior Drake LaRoche has led the way with a 4-1 record and a 3.74 ERA across 43.1 innings, while junior Garrett Moody has followed with a team-high 43 strikeouts. Junior Jack Butler has emerged as the surefire third starter in the room, earning his second complete-game win this month during this weekend's sweep of Delta State.
Senior Keaton Fuller has led a steady bullpen in recent weeks with a 2.70 earned run average over ten innings of relief work. Junior Cam Habada leads all Blazer relievers with two pitching wins, while senior Preston Wetherell and Fuller have added one win each of their own. Redshirt freshman Ty Macera has held opposing hitters to a .182 batting average in his 9.1 innings of work, while senior Vinny Del Negro, junior Ty Floyd, and sophomore Jacob Page have also played key roles out of the bullpen so far this season.
Montevallo is paced by Jack Fitzgerald, who is hitting .330 with eight home runs and a 1.133 OPS. Ian Cartwright and Caleb Karll have also contributed consistently, while Evan Radford and Hollon Brock add depth to the Falcons lineup.
On the mound, Luke Holbrook has been a reliable starter option with a 2.53 ERA across 42.2 innings, while Zach Wyatt has recorded 43 strikeouts in 43.1 innings of work. The Falcons bullpen features several arms capable of limiting damage, including Mitchell Rhodes and Gene Blackmon.
Both Valdosta State and Montevallo enter the weekend following big-time wins with their sights set on climbing the GSC ladder as the regular season reaches its peak.
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.
