VALDOSTA, Ga. --- The Mississippi College baseball team will close out the 2015 season this weekend when they travel to Valdosta State University for a three-game series, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday at 3:00 p.m. (Central), followed by a single game on Saturday at noon (Central).

SERIES RECORD    
The Choctaws (12-31, 4-25 GSC) and the Blazers (25-16, 16-11 GSC) have met 12 previous times withi VSU holding a 9-3 edge in the series. The schools have not played since the 1993 season when the Blazers won 2-of-3 in Georgia.

NOTES ON THE CHOCTAWS    
Brian Owens is in his 9th and final season as the head coach at Mississippi College. The former Mississippi State pitcher won his 200th game on Feb. 19th against Union Univiersity, needing 16 innings to get the milestone victory, 3-2.

Owens announced his resignation on Monday (April 13), effective at the completion of the 2015 season. A search for the next head baseball coach will begin immediately.

"We want to thank Coach Owens for an outstanding 10 years of service," said athletic director Mike Jones. "This is definitely not something that I wanted, but we want to wish him the best of luck in whatever he decides to do. I know that he will be successful in all of his future endeavors."

The Choctaws are coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of North Alabama last weekend. After dropping a 7-4 game on Sunday, MC was trailing just 3-2 with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning. UNA kept MC from scoring and scored 10 unanswered runs to win 13-2. In the finale, the Lions picked up a 13-0 win.

MC traveled to Millsaps on Tuesday night, falling to the nationally-ranked Majors, 15-1. Junior Toler Robinson led the Choctaws with two hits and a run scored on the night.

After opening the season with six straight victories, the Choctaws have struggled in their first season in Division II and the Gulf South Conference. The highlight came on April 11th when junior Austin Warkentin sent a walk-off single to right field to defeat Delta State, 7-6.

Sophomore Hunter Bolin (.342) is the team's leading hitter, also leading the team with nine stolen bases on the season. Junior Caleb Upton (.320) has a team-high 48 hits and five home runs on the season.

Freshman Kyle Smith (.338) has stepped into the starting lineup in center field this season, and is second on the team with eight stolen bases. Senior Akiko Thompson (.323) has struggled through injuries this season, but is tied with Smith with eight swipes.

Junior Toler Robinson (.313) leads the team with a .344 batting average in GSC play.

On the mound, senior Brooks Fortenberry will make his last career start this weekend. The Magee native ranks 4th in school history with 187 strikeouts and 6th with 219.2 innings pitched. Fortenberry struck out a career-high 10 vs. Union.

Seniors Andy Olmsted (0-2, 3.16 ERA) and Grady Turman (2-2, 5.04 ERA) have been MC's most reliable arms out of the bullpen this season. Olmsted has allowed just three earned runs in his last six appearances, holding the opponents scoreless five times. Turman collected the win over Delta State on April 11th.

This will be the final games for the seven seniors on the MC Baseball Team, including: Fortenberry, Jayme Monroe, Caleb Morris, Olmsted, Marty Stringfellow, Thompson and Turman.

NOTES ON THE BLAZERS    
The Blazers are led by 8th-year head coach Greg Guilliams, who won his 250th game earlier this season. VSU has won two GSC Championships and advanced to the NCAA postseason in 3-of-7 seasons.

Like MC, the Blazers also opened the season with six straight victories. They have won four straight conference series with their last series loss coming to #10 West Alabama on March 15th.

They rank 2nd in the league in batting average (.342), runs scored (318) and home runs (44). Seven of the regular starters have a batting average over .300, led by Hayden Jones (.421), who leads the team with 69 hits.

Kevin Cruz (.401) is tied for the team-lead with 18 doubles and ranks 2nd with nine home runs. Michael Gouge (.392) leads the team with 51 RBI and is 3rd with 16 doubles. Bryant Hayman (.354) leads the team with 11 home runs, while Jayk Graham (.352) has 18 doubles.

Mitchell Cody (7-2, 3.76 ERA) leads the team with 81.1 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts. Kyle Andre (5-4, 3.53 ERA) leads the team with five complete games.