The brother-sister rivalry between Valdosta State softball senior Samantha Posey and her big brother, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, returned to the national spotlight this week.

The duo was listed as the ninth-best sibling rivalry on an ESPN umbrella website, ESPNw. The website listed the top sibling rivalries in sports in honor of the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which prohibits individuals from being excluded from participation, based on sexual gender, in any program of activity that receives federal financial assistance.

“It is a lot of fun,” Posey said. “It is always fun to talk about (Buster), because he is so successful with his career.”

The Poseys’ sibling rivalry received national attention last season, when Samantha hit for the home run cycle (that means she hit a solo, two-run, three-run home run and a grand slam ) in a doubleheader against Albany State. That and her connection to her brother, who was named the 2010 National League Rookie of the Year in the same year as San Francisco’s World Series championship, led to a live interview on ESPN’s First Take.

When asked about his sister’s four home runs in the same day, a feat that has only been accomplished a few times in Major League history, Buster said, “The guys gave me a hard time because I had two homers all year, and she had four in one day.”

“We have a rivalry, of course, but it is more that we congratulate each other more,” Posey said. “He and I haven’t ever really been at each other’s throats and stuff like that.”

Buster broke his leg in late May and missed the remainder of the 2011 season. Samantha, on the other hand, helped VSU win its third straight Gulf South Conference championship.

While Buster continues to fight back from his injury — he is expected to be back for opening day — Samantha leads the VSU softball team, which owns a 25-2 record and the No. 2 ranking in Division II, with a .461 batting average. She has 76 hits, 23 runs batted in and 19 runs scored in 23 games this season.

Now, with both players enjoying success at their respective     levels, Posey admits that she and her big brother do share information with each other, trying to help one another succeed.

“We talk a lot,” Posey said. “As far as how I am doing and how he is progressing into his spring training. I don’t think we really have any secrets, but if I do have a problem, I go to him for advice.”

The duo aren’t the only athletes in the family. Samantha’s other older brother, Jack, was a four-year baseball player at Florida State, while the youngest boy in the Posey family, Jess, is a standout on the Lee County baseball team. He threw a perfect game earlier this season.