No. 6 Valdosta State heads back down to Pensacola

Two of the greatest minds in softball will clash when West Florida hosts No. 6 Valdosta State in a three-game series this weekend.

Blazers’ head coach Thomas Macera eclipsed the 400-win mark Tuesday night, yet his counterpart, 21st year UWF coach Tami Cyr holds the most wins of all-time in the Gulf South Conference (854).

Cyr is sixth among active coaches on the Division II all-time wins list, and her squad faces Spring Hill in a doubleheader Thursday before hosting the Blazers.

VSU is riding a three-game win streak after redeeming themselves in the final game of the Shorter series last weekend before sweeping Georgia Southwestern in a doubleheader Tuesday.

UWF has struggled early-on against heavy competition, including shutouts to No. 24 Barry, Indianapolis and Florida Tech.

The Argos have plenty to handle against a Blazer team that’s been heating up as of late and is led by GSC Player of the Week Courtney Albritton, who leads the conference in runs scored (20) and home runs (6).

Expect Blazer pitcher Brianna Hancock, who recently picked up her sixth win, to take the start this weekend in either game one or two.  Hancock went 2-0 at the West Florida tournament that opened the season.

UWF is led by a senior/freshman duo for offensive production: veteran outfielder Caroline Kaston and new infielder Jessica Wilkerson.

On the mound, senior Taylor Bailey is a projected starter, which will be her ninth start this season while freshman pitcher Rebecca Hein attempts to earn her fourth win.

A sweep over the Argos would give the Blazers a .500 conference record after losing two of the three to SU.

The Argos also lost two of three games to North Alabama in their conference opener, so both teams are looking to gain traction approaching the heart of the schedule.

 The three-game series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 5 p.m., and the final game is Sunday at 2 p.m. 

VSU softball prepared for Eckerd Tournament

They’re good. Everyone knows they’re good−and this weekend we’ll see how good.

No. 6 Valdosta State awaits a true evaluation of its caliber in the upcoming Eckerd Tournament this weekend in Clearwater, Fla.

Several new players, like freshmen starters catcher Morgan Buter and second basemen Chelsea Canara, will receive their first dose of fierce, competitive tournament play.

“I think it’s going to be a real challenge for us,” sophomore first basemen Kiley Rusen said.

The Blazers open against Rollins College on Friday, playing games against No. 13 Tampa and Florida Southern Saturday, and on Sunday VSU concludes with Palm Beach Atlantic and Nova Southeastern.

VSU’s last opponent, Flagler, fellow Gulf South Conference members Lee, West Florida and Shorter, Linderwood, Colorado Christian, host Eckerd College and Armstrong Atlantic (who sent the Blazers home in the NCAA tournament), will also be competing this weekend.

UT will likely start pitcher Katie Cox on Saturday; the Darktronics Player of the Year recipient is known as one of the best in the nation. FSC opens its 2014 season this weekend.

PBAU also opens its season this weekend and are the Blazers first game of their last doubleheader.

VSU’s final matchup is against NSU. The last meeting was in 2012, when the Blazers swept the Sharks in a doubleheader.

As usual, the Eckerd Tournament is held at Eddie C. Moore Complex, Clearwater’s national award-winning softball facility.

“We’ve played six games and we got five big ones this weekend,” Macera said. “We’re playing some really good teams down there. We got to work this week and hopefully it pays off.”

Freshman Focus: Chelsea Canara

Age is nothing but a number.

VSU Athletics

This expression is also the mantra of newcomer Chelsea Canara.

The freshman phenom went hitless in her first collegiate doubleheader this past weekend in Pensacola, yet assisted her team by driving in four runs as the Blazers split against Midwestern State.

In the following doubleheader against Southern Arkansas, Canara’s first hit was a RBI double in the second inning of game one.

Her next at-bat was a base-clearing grand slam that pushed the Blazers ahead to seal the win.

The Milton,Ga. native batted .750 and nine RBIs last weekend–earning her Gulf South Conference Player of the Week honors–in just her first four collegiate games.

“She’s very calm out there,” head coach Thomas Macera said. “That’s the thing−she’s very mature for her age. Second is a very tough position to play and she just does a very good job at it.”

Canara’s poise is credited to growing up with her two older siblings, who are former softball players.

“I take after them,” Canara said. “I just try to relax and forget the nerves. I’ve just always been like that.”

The veterans on the team have been helpful since Canara took the position during the unofficial fall season, and as a result, she is quickly mastering the learning curve.

Canara went 3-7 with two RBIs in her first home appearance, sweeping Flagler in a doubleheader Feb. 4.

The GSC preseason top newcomer recipient is excited to compete against some of the nation’s best this weekend in Clearwater, Fla.

So far, so good for VSU’s new second basemen.

“She’s done a remarkable job,” Macera said. “She’s not only hitting the ball very well, she’s playing really good at second base. Last year Kiley [Rusen] came in and did well. The year before, [Courtney] Albritton came in and did really well. That’s all you can hope for when you bring in some of these freshmen…and it’s tough because it’s very competitive.”

Blazers cruise past Saints

No. 6 Valdosta State softball head coach Thomas Macera says that pitcher Rebeckah Kiser must play at a high-level if the Blazers are going to reclaim a national championship title this season.

The Gulf South Conference top newcomer honoree pitched a complete game Tuesday afternoon as VSU came back to defeat Flagler College 6-3 in Game two of the doubleheader.

“She did good,” Macera said. “She kept us in the game and that's all we can ask from her.”

Both games began with the Blazers behind before their comeback rallies that sealed their wins.

Similar to Game one, FC got off to a hot start as the Saints drove in two-runs in their first inning.

With a runner in scoring position, Blazers third basemen Hannah Strickland mishandled Mackenzie Conley's ground ball, which allowed FC's first run.

Saints catcher Molly Whittington, on the ensuing at-bat, recorded a RBI single. Before the Blazers first plate appearances, they were at a 2-0 disadvantage.

Strickland answered on her first at-bat of the game with a solo home run to deep center field. Strickland only had one homer last season.

With the Saints up 2-1 in the fourth, Conley tallied a solo home run but it would be shadowed by the Blazers five-run inning.

During the bottom half, a April Collins single ignited the scoring frenzy, the base hit led to a run scored due to a Saints fielding error.

Albritton was walked next, which set up GSC Player of the Week honoree Chelsea Canara's RBI single.

The score was tied at three before sophomore first basemen Kiley Rusen blasted a three-run homer to put her team ahead 6-3.

Right fielder Fran Johnson extended the lead in the sixth with a two-run double.

With two runners on, Saints pinch hitter Mallory Murphy homered in seventh but it wasn't enough to spark a late-game rally.

VSU opens the tournament against Rollins on Feb. 7  

Blazers victorious in home opener

It only took a few innings for Valdosta State to start looking like the sixth best team in the country.

A seven-run scoring onslaught in the third inning pushed the Blazers to a strong lead that was enough to outlast Flager College 13-5 in the Game one home opener at Blazer Park.

No. 6 VSU starting pitcher Brianna Hancock went 3.2 innings before being relieved by Caitlyn Calhoun, who picks up her second win of the season.

After giving up two base hits and hitting a batter, Hancock found herself in early trouble in the second inning.

With the bases loaded, an errant throw by freshman catch Morgan Butler allowed the Saints to drive in the contest's first run.

Flager second baseman Lauren Bessent's base hit single during the next at bat gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.

The Blazers found their stroke in the third inning however, tallying seven runs which gave them a comfortable lead after they entered down two runs.

Senior left fielder April Collins sparked the onslaught with the first of the side's six hits.

Gulf South Conference two-time Player of the Year recipient Courtney Albritton went yard thereafter for her third home run already this season.

Freshman second baseman Chelsea Canara didn't waste anytime to go yard herself on the next at bat.

Canara's second long ball of the season gave VSU a 3-2 advantage. And the Blazers were far from done.

Rusen kept the scoring train rolling with a base hit, which set up designated hitter Karson King two-run shot that sailed over the left field fence.

Saints starting pitcher Kalyn Loverich's outing came to an end after walking VSU shortstop Shelby Altman on the following at bat.

Tinsley Smith replaced Loverich on the mound but right fielder Fran Johnson made the most of being the first batter Smith faced upon entering the game.

Johnson recorded a triple that drove in two runs extending VSU's lead more before the side finally ended.

Blazers designated hitter Kiley Rusen went yard for her first home run of the year to lead off the fourth inning. Bessett drove in her second RBI during the bottom of the inning.

In the fifth, with the score 8-3, the Saints managed to cut their deficit on center fielder Melanie Oliver's two-RBI single, their first runs since the second inning.

Albritton and Rusen both tacked on another RBI each on back to back hits to open the sixth inning.

Altman concluded game one (mercy rule) with a 2-RBI homer - her first home run of the season.

VSU finished with 10 hits compared to FC's five.

Loverich, who came into the game following a shutout win on Sunday, loses her second game of the season (1-2).