Baseball reigned King. Baseball and tobacco, that is. In 1939, minor league baseball came to the small, southern town of Valdosta, Ga. Until 1958, (with the exception of 1943-45 due to World War II) the residents of this rural community would experience minor league baseball for themselves. Four different major league teams had Class D affiliates in Valdosta during this ...

Valdosta State women’s soccer coach Mel Heinz wouldn’t leave her Blazer family−except to be with her own family. Last week, Heinz announced she was leaving after three years with the team. The coach that built the program in 2011 is leaving for a position in her brother’s business where she will be the sales and account manager. On March 19, ...

Mel Heinz announced Tuesday that she will be leaving her position as women’s soccer head coach at Valdosta State. Heinz will be changing careers to work with her self-employed brother at his business in the Atlanta area. Heinz said in a VSU press release that she spent much time mulling over the decision and is at peace with it. She ...

written by: Alex Tostado Valdosta State women’s soccer coach Mel Heinz has built two collegiate soccer programs from the ground up. Heinz started Winthrop University’s program from scratch in 2003 and at VSU in 2011. Heinz saw much different results between the two programs, however. During Heinz’s seven years at WU, the team compiled an overall record of 56-72-17. The ...

written by: Alex Tostado  No.4 Valdosta State baseball will play a road game for the first time this season in a top-five matchup against Gulf South Conference rival, No.2 West Florida, this weekend. The Argos are 8-2 on the season with a perfect 3-0 conference record, while the Blazers (10-0, 3-0) are off to their best start since 1978 (when ...

written by: Alex Tostado No.21 Valdosta State (8-0, 2-0) baseball kept its bats swinging on Saturday against Shorter University (1-8, 0-2) in a Gulf South Conference doubleheader. VSU swept the Hawks Saturday, taking the first game 10-0 in seven innings (GSC mercy rule) and won Game 2 3-1. “I thought we swung the bats very well (in Game 1),” VSU ...

So far, so good. Valdosta State (2-0) has outscored their opponents 28-8 in the first two games of the season after its 14-5 rout over Georgia Southwestern (1-1) 14-5 Sunday afternoon at Billy Grant Field. VSU catcher Bryant Hayman got his season rolling after a rough opening night where he went hitless (0-3) with two strikeouts. Sunday, the junior catcher made ...

Valdosta State won its first game exactly the way head coach Greg Guilliams hoped for. Nice and easy. The Blazers out hit Truett-McConnell 13-3 en route to a 14-3 opening victory at Billy Grant Field Saturday afternoon. VSU’s pitching core gave up its first hit all game in the ninth inning. Five pitchers made an appearance to hold the Bears ...

Written by: Alex Tostado Valdosta State takes the field for its 2014 campaign as the Blazers host the Comfort Suites Classic at Billy Grant Field this weekend. The Blazers play Truett-McConnell on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Georgia Southwestern on Sunday at 1 p.m. VSU Head Coach Greg Guilliams is expecting a lot from his players this season, especially coming ...

The Valdosta State baseball and softball teams got together for the annual Blazer Blast at Billy Grant Field and Steel’s Diamond at Blazer Park on Sunday. Both teams welcomed 150 children, from ages 12 and under for the free clinic. VSU players were dressed in full uniform along with the coaches to give the youngsters a taste of what it’s ...