DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Valdosta State baseball team (17-29) hits the road on Tuesday for a midweek matchup against Embry-Riddle (18-21), with first pitch set for 5 p.m. at Sliwa Stadium.
Tuesday's meeting is the second between the two programs this season after a wild 13-inning contest in Valdosta back in March, where Embry-Riddle outlasted the Blazers by a score of 17-14. The Eagles have now won six straight in the series, though Valdosta State still leads the all-time matchup 15-11 dating back to 2000.
The Blazers enter the contest with several reliable bats atop the lineup, led by junior Charlie Banks, who is hitting .290 with a team-high 10 home runs and 43 RBI. Junior Luke Flading has been a consistent presence, batting .315 with 12 doubles, three home runs, and a .437 on-base percentage in the cleanup spot. Sophomore Parker Ladd's .292 batting average is second on the team.
Senior Brent Howard adds a .275 average, 12 doubles, and five home runs across 46 starts. Junior Ryan Strachan has also been a key contributor in recent weeks, slashing .282 with three home runs, 26 RBI, and a .419 on-base percentage.
On the mound, the Blazers have turned to redshirt freshman Boomer Dunn for two midweek starts in a row. Dunn has made nine appearances in total this season, posting 10 strikeouts over 10.2 innings. Valdosta State may call on a number of arms, with the bullpen anchored by senior Keaton Fuller (2.51 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and one save in 14.1 innings).
Embry-Riddle showed off a deep lineup in its trip to Billy Grant Field in a contest that was filled with offense on both sides. The Eagle lineup is led by Francisco Feliciano, who is hitting .361 with 43 hits and 15 stolen bases, while Max McClusky (.352) and Aidan Corn (.342, 52 hits) are also big threats at the plate.
On the mound, Embry-Riddle could turn to several reliable options, including Tristan Harley, who owns a 2.51 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 43.0 innings, and Isaiah Eberheart, who has been strong out of the bullpen with a 1.44 ERA across 15 appearances. The Eagles called on Carter Gschwind to make the start in the first meeting between the two programs.
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.
