Written by Briana Salem, Staff Writer

VSU Baseball will look to defy preseason voters after being picked to finish sixth in the GSC ahead of the season. The team will be looking to replace star pitcher Mitchell Cody, who led the team in strikeouts last season.

VSU has played two exhibition games as they get ready for the regular season. They won both games against Tallahassee Community College and Central Florida Community College.

“Against CFCC we played exceptionally well, especially during our first game,” said VSU Baseball Head Coach Greg Guilliams. “In the second game, we did not play as well even though in both games we scored more points than any other team, so overall I was pleased.”

Guilliams also won’t have outfielder Dalton Duty this season. Duty, who got injured earlier this year, will redshirt the season. He led the team in hits, average and runs last year and was selected to the preseason all Gulf South Conference team.

Instead, Guilliams will be looking for leadership from his seniors after selecting second baseman Chipper Andzel, catcher Clint Car and third baseman Marcus Sigmon to be the team captains.

Sigmon had the second most hits and runs last year, and he led the team in home runs. Sigmon said the team has had to build relationships with each other after losing 10 seniors from last year’s team.

“Our team chemistry is probably our strongest point,” Sigmon said. “We have good pitching and play good defense, but I think altogether as a team we have great team chemistry.”

VSU finished last year with a 27-17 record, which was seventh in the GSC out of 12 teams. After winning the conference in 2013, VSU has posted an 81-54 record in the three seasons since.

The Blazers will start the season at home against South Georgia rival Albany State on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 4 p.m.