VALDOSTA, Ga. — Valdosta State baseball (6-11, 4-5 GSC) returns to Billy Grant Field Tuesday evening for a non-conference matchup against defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Tampa (14-1), with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.
The Spartans enter the Tuesday evening contest riding a three-game winning streak and feature one of the most complete rosters in Division II baseball following last season's national championship run.
Tampa's lineup presents challenges from top to bottom, led by Brayden Woodburn, who is hitting .423/.557/.654 with elite plate discipline. Catcher Jhoander Irigoyen has led the way with power by driving in 23 runs while batting .404 with four home runs.
Jordan Evans (.371 batting average) provides speed at the top of the order, while Javi Soto (.382, three home runs) adds power. Walker Vanecek and Jake Books both slug above .590, giving Tampa multiple middle-of-the-order threats capable of changing games quickly. Gunnett Carlson rounds out a group of elite bats, hitting .385 with a .547 on-base percentage.
On the mound, left-handed ace Robert Satin has yet to allow an earned run across 25.1 innings this season while striking out 36 batters and holding opponents to a .55 WHIP. Another left-hander, B.J. Bailey, owns a 1.38 ERA with four wins, while senior John Luke Glanton provides additional experience. With Tampa coming off a weekend series, it is worth nothing Tobin Moran is the only other pitcher with a start for the Spartans this season.
Valdosta State enters the matchup following a series victory over UAH. Senior Drake LaRoche earned a win in Sunday's finale and now owns two victories on the season, while junior Preston Wetherell secured an extra-inning win in relief during Saturday's doubleheader.
As for the rest of the rotation, junior Garrett Moody continues to lead the Blazers with 28 strikeouts, and junior Jack Butler earned another start on Saturday in which the Blazers won the game. Out of the bullpen, sophomore Jacob Page tossed two shutout innings over the weekend. Redshirt freshman Luke Edwards contributed 1.2 hitless innings, and junior Ryan Strachan closed out Sunday's victory.
Offensively, junior Charlie Banks found his power over the weekend, leading the Blazers with two home runs. Banks carries an OPS above 1.000 while slashing .361/.425/.583. Junior Luke Flading recorded two three-hit performances during the UAH series, while senior Jackson Webster doubled in each contest to raise his average to .342 alongside a team-best .490 on-base percentage.
Senior Brent Howard reached base eight times across the series and continues to pace the team with 18 walks. Junior Jason Mack delivered one of the weekend's biggest moments, doubling in extra innings before later scoring the game-winning run, while also anchoring the defense at shortstop. Juniors Matt Keller and Isaiah Pou have remained steady contributors offensively and are each a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen-base attempts. Sophomore Parker Ladd has also provided a spark at third base, hitting .435 with a .609 slugging percentage across his recent move into the starting lineup.
Valdosta State holds a 7-4 advantage in the all-time series against Tampa dating back to 2011. The Spartans claimed last season's meeting in Tampa before continuing their run to a national title, and the programs have split their last six matchups evenly. Tuesday marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season, with each school hosting once.
Come out Tuesday evening and support the Blazers as they battle the nation's No.1 ranked baseball program!
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 as they continue into the regular season.
