CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The Valdosta State baseball team (14-24, 10-14 GSC) heads to Lee (25-13, 15-9 GSC) this weekend for a three-game Gulf South Conference series beginning Friday at 5 p.m., followed by a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Blazers ride a three-game winning streak into the contest, highlighted by Tuesday night's 8-7 victory at Tampa.
The all-time series between the programs has been tightly contested, with Lee holding a 17-15 edge dating back to 2015. Despite the lead, the Blazers have won three straight meetings, including last season's 2-1 series victory and a postseason win in the GSC Tournament in Oxford, Ala.
Valdosta State enters the weekend with some momentum after knocking off No. 2 Tampa on the road on Tuesday, using a five-run seventh inning and a dominant 3.1 innings of relief work from junior Hunter Ward to secure the upset. The win made it three straight since the team snapped a nine-game skid.
At the plate, the Blazers continue to be led by junior Charlie Banks, who enters the weekend hitting .294 with ten home runs and 37 RBI. Sophomore Parker Ladd (.340) and senior Brent Howard (.281, 25 RBI) have provided consistency atop the order, while junior Luke Flading has added consistent contact with a .265 average and strong on-base numbers. Junior Ryan Strachan was Tuesday's hero, blasting a three-run home run to tie the game. Strachan has hit at a .245 batting average on the year, earning starts throughout the infield, outfield, and even on the mound.
The weekend rotation saw some movement during last weekend's series win over Auburn Montgomery. Junior Jack Butler (3-2, 5.09 ERA) and senior Drake LaRoche (4-4, 5.24 ERA) remained fixtures, while graduate Trey Jackson earned the third weekend start, a nod that has typically gone to junior Garrett Moody. The rotation will be something to watch after Tuesday's midweek start went to freshman Boomer Dunn. Moody remains a key arm, whether in a starting role or out of the bullpen, as he leads the team with 52 strikeouts.
Out of the bullpen, Hunter Ward is coming off a pivotal performance, tossing 3.1 shutout innings to close out the win at Tampa. Senior Keaton Fuller has been consistent and effective in relief, posting a 3.27 ERA with 18 strikeouts across 11.0 innings.
Lee enters the weekend as one of the more dangerous offensive teams in the conference, led by a trio of hitters batting above .340. Luke Collier paces the lineup at .375 with eight home runs and 52 RBI, while Isaiah French (.341, 10 HR) and Cody Turner (.336, 8 HR) provide additional power throughout the order.
On the mound, Lee is expected to rely on its usual weekend trio of Dylan Van Meeteren, Gage Shaver and Evan Bloomer, all of whom have made at least nine starts this season.
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.
