Blazers Eliminate Tampa 10-5

Koenigsfeld tallies three hits to lead VSU

MAGNOLIA, Ark. - Jon Koenigsfeld fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle in leading No. 19 Valdosta State to a 10-5 victory over No. 10 Tampa in an elimination game of the NCAA South Region Tournament at Mulerider Field Saturday afternoon.

Tampa (39-17) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Mike Schwartz hit his 14th home run of the year. After a pair of ground outs to open the frame, Jose Jimenez drew a walk and scored as Schwartz hit a three-ball, two-strike pitch over the wall in right field to give the Spartans a 2-0 advantage.

Valdosta State (43-20) got a run back in the bottom of the frame as Chase Blackwood singled with one out and moved to third on a Brandon Decker ground out. Matt Costello hit the first pitch he saw down the left field line for a single to plate Blackwood, cutting the UT lead to 2-1.

Austin Smith's 15th home run of the year in the bottom of the second evened the game at 2-2 as the Blazers wasted a chance to take the lead in the frame. After Smith's home run, Logan Pierce reached on a single up the middle before Koenigsfeld sent the first pitch he saw into the left-center gap. Pierce rounded third on the play and fell while trying to hold up on the base. The throw to third on the play beat the VSU centerfielder to the bag for the second out in the frame.

Decker tallied his first hit of the tournament in the bottom of the third as he greeted Tampa reliever Carmine Giardina with his 22nd home run of the year to put VSU in front 3-2, only to have the Spartans even the game in the top of the fourth. Devin Gonzalez doubled to right to open the frame and moved to third on a Jared Simon fly ball out before coming home when Garrett Maines singled down the left field line to knot the game at 3-3.

Valdosta State scored in its fourth straight inning as it plated a two-out run in the fourth. Smith drew a walk to open the inning, but was erased when Blaine Wilson grounded into a force out. Wilson stole second and broke for third on a hit-and-run attempt by Koenigsfeld. The VSU leftfielder was forced to stop as Koenigsfeld delivered a sharp ground ball through the left-side of the infield, but was still able to easily score to put the Blazers back in front 4-3.

The Blazers added three more runs in the fifth inning to push their advantage to 7-3. Sho Kohata singled to open the frame and two batters later moved to third when Decker singled up the middle. A Costello base hit to second scored Kohata and moved Decker to third. Costello advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored along with Decker as Clayton Cain singled through the left-side of the infield.

Koenigsfeld pushed the Blazer lead to 10-3 in the bottom of the eighth as he tripled with the bases loaded. Costello singled to open the frame before being lifted for pinch runner Chaz Bagwell. Shawn Keill singled on a bunt to put two runners on before Smith laid down a sacrifice bunt to put both runners into scoring position. Pierce was intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs in the frame. Koenigsfeld sent the first pitch he saw from UT pitcher into the right-center gap to plate all three runners.

Koenigsfeld singled, doubled and tripled while driving in four to lead Valdosta State at the plate. Costello also finished the contest with three hits while Decker recorded two. Ross Gusky (6-4) picked up the victory as he allowed six hits and three runs in five innings of work. Jeremy Forbus allowed seven hits and two runs over the final four innings to earn his first save of the season.

Schwartz finished with two of Tampa's 13 hits while Jesus Barroso, Gonzalez and Simon all tallied two each. Giardina fell to 5-1 as he allowed five hits and five runs in two innings of relief.

Valdosta State advances to Sunday's elimination game against the South Region's and nation's top-ranked team, Southern Arkansas. SAU defeated West Alabama 10-6 in the first game on Saturday to set up Sunday's 1:00 p.m. tilt.

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