Valdosta State head softball coach Thomas Macera talks to catcher Kinzie Nelson (28) during a game against West Alabama Saturday, April 8 at Steel’s Diamond.

VALDOSTA – The No. 9 Valdosta State softball team will hit the road to face Gulf South Conference rival, No. 5 Alabama Huntsville, in a massive three-game series this weekend. The action kicks off with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m. before concluding in a single game on Sunday, April 16 at 1 p.m.

Fans can access links to video streaming, live stats, rosters and more at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.

Last weekend, the Blazers took on a major GSC opponent in then-ranked No.25 West Alabama in a three-game series. VSU dropped game one, 3-1, before bouncing back in game two behind five different Blazers belting home runs for a 7-4 victory. Then in the series finale, Senior pitcher Samantha Richards and the Blazer defense battened down the hatches to pitch a shutout in a 7-0 series-clinching win over the Tigers.

Earlier this week, Valdosta State learned that it is number nine in the most recent NFCA DII Coaches poll, moving up a spot from number 10 slot in the previous week’s poll. North Georgia is still the unanimous number one followed by Tampa, UT Tyler, Central Oklahoma and Alabama Huntsville rounding out the top five. Indianapolis is sixth, Grand Valley State is seventh, Rodgers State is eighth, the Blazers are ninth and Lubbock Christian is tenth. Also, regional opponent Saint Leo is 14 while GSC foes Mississippi College and West Alabama rank 19th and 23rd respectively.

Valdosta State currently holds a 32-6 overall record and are 18-3 in GSC play. Collectively, the Blazers have hit 94 home runs for first in the nation and are averaging 2.47 home runs per game for a national best.

Individually, the Blazers are led by Sulte at the plate, batting .406 for 36 runs on 43 hits with two doubles, 19 home runs and 51 RBI. Her 19 home runs are good for first in the Gulf South Conference and tied for first in the nation while she is also first in the nation in home runs per game, tallying 0.50 per game. Sulte is also second in the GSC in RBI with 51 for seventh in national rankings. Junior Taylor Macera is also making a splash for the Blazers this season, batting .362 on 42 hits, 32 runs with nine doubles, 12 home runs and 36 RBI. Currently Macera, junior Morgan Hill and Senior Taylor Lewis all have 12 home runs each, tying for fifth in the conference.

Richards continues to be a standout in the circle for the Blazers accumulating a 1.92 ERA behind 196 strikeouts, 32 walks and 54 runs on 133 hits in 175.1 total innings. Richards has a national best 23 complete games while also hoisting 24 starts for first in the conference. She has seven shutouts for a conference best, picking up one last weekend against UWA. She also has picked up three saves throughout the season for first in the GSC. Meanwhile, her 164 strikeouts are good for first in the GSC and her 23-3 record is a league best. Sophomore Madison Lumpp has continued to make her presence felt in the circle for the Blazers, currently hoisting a 7-0 record heading into the weekend.

No. 5 UAH enters the week 33-7 overall with an 18-2 conference record. The Chargers are under the direction of head coach Les Stuedeman, who in 28 seasons with UAH has amassed a 1215-409-1 record. Stuedeman and the Chargers are currently 73-53 In the all-time series record, winning 35 of the last 51 games at home.

Individually, the Chargers are led by Kinley Adams, who is batting .455 with 35 runs on 50 hits, five doubles, and 26 RBI. Meanwhile, Lawren Hayes is batting .417 with 44 runs on 58 hits including 12 doubles, six triples, two home runs and 19 RBI. Katie Bracken is the leading pitcher for UAH, holding a 1.48 ERA with 12 wins in 13 starts. Bracken has 11 complete games with four shutouts while she has tallied 104 strikeouts, 52 walks and 24 runs on 56 hits in 89.2 innings pitched.

Following the series with the Chargers, the Blazers will return to the road to take on another key GSC opponent in Auburn Montgomery with action beginning on Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m.