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VALDOSTA – The Valdosta State baseball team learned Thursday that it was selected fourth in the 2023 Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, announced by the league office.

Delta State was tabbed the league favorite with 130 points and five first-place votes, while Lee was second in the poll with six first-place nods and 127 points. Montevallo was picked third with 122 points and one first place vote. VSU was fourth with 112 points, followed by Alabama Huntsville with 97.

West Florida was picked sixth with 96 points and the final first place consideration, while Auburn Montgomery was seventh (83), followed by Shorter (60), West Georgia (56) and Mississippi College was tenth with 46 points. West Alabama checked in at 11th with 40 points, followed by Union (33) and Christian Brothers with 12 points rounded out the poll.

The Blazers finished the 2022 season with a 31-16 record overall and a 17-9 mark in GSC play as they finished second in the league standings. Head coach Greg Guilliams returns for his 16th season at VSU with a 440-283-1 (.608) record, while it is his 33rd season overall coaching as he is 1,117-540-2 (.674) all-time.

Guilliams welcomes back a number of players from 2022, including senior outfielder Bryson Gandy, junior outfielder David Crawford, junior catcher Jacob Harper and junior outfield/catcher Orlando Adams. The Blazers have two rotation pitchers returning and six bullpen pitchers from 2022.

Gandy hit .277 for the season in 34 games with 42 starts, while he recorded 44 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 16 RBI. He drew 23 walks with a .478 slugging percentage and went a team-best 18 of 24 on the base paths, while scoring 31 times. Crawford hit .274 with 40 hits, four doubles and one triple, while driving in 20 and scoring 34 runs. Crawford was 11 of 14 in stolen bases and had 16 walks, while recording 91 putouts in 92 chances with just one error.

Both Harper and Adams saw time behind the dish last season as Harper hit .274 in 36 games with 33 starts. He tallied 29 hits with seven doubles, 20 runs scored, three home runs and drove in 23. Harper drew 20 walks, while he went 17-21 in SBA/ATT. He finished with 231 putouts for second on the team with 14 assists in 253 chances. Adams hit .273 in 30 games with 25 starts, while recording 21 hits, three doubles, two triples, two home runs and 13 RBI. He scored 21 times with a .442 slugging percentage and drew 19 walks and five hit batsmen. Adams had 28 putouts in 29 chances with no errors.

On the hill, senior Kevin Tomas and sophomore JJ Finn return to the rotation. Tomas was 3-2 in 12 starts last season and was second on the team in innings pitched at 60.2. He allowed 65 hits, 34 earned runs, walked 16 and fanned 37. Finn was 5-3 in 16 appearances with ten starts for 55 innings. He allowed 75 hits, 47 runs – 40 earned, walked 18 and fanned 34. Senior Zach Henderson highlights the returners out of the bullpen as he played in 25 games with two starts for 46.1 innings and a team-high three saves. Henderson allowed 40 hits, 29 runs – 23 earned, walked 12 and fanned 36. Junior Nick Ferrara, senior Brandon Raiden also return, along with graduate student Jeremy Adams, who missed all of last season with an injury. Adams went 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 18 appearances and two starts in 2021. He pitched 30.1 innings, allowing 33 hits, 16 runs – 13 earned, walked seven and fanned 31 that season.

Guilliams added the services of a number of key newcomers, including graduate transfers JP Gates of the University of Miami and Nick Gonzalez who attended South Florida. Gates started at Miami as the designated hitter as a freshman and also is a lefty on the mound. Goznalez was a three-year starter at USF and hit above .300 as a senior playing shortstop. Another player to watch is Hunter Stowe who can pitch and also play outfield. He went to Marion Military Institute and is a very talented hitter who hits to all parts of the field.

Nationally speaking, the Blazers sit 39th in the preseason Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 40. Out of the South Region, Tampa is second, followed by Rollins at ninth, Lee (11th), Spring Hill (17th), Nova Southeastern (22nd), Savannah State (24th), Saint Leo (28th) and Florida Southern (37th). Other South Region teams receiving votes included; Delta State, West Florida and Lynn.

The Blazers open the 2023 season with a three-game series at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park on Feb. 3-4 versus Embry-Riddle. The Blazers have 24 home games this season and fans can purchase tickets by visiting www.vstateblazers.com.