VALDOSTA, Ga. – Marcus Sigmon's ability to deliver in the clutch was on display yet again on Wednesday evening, as he ripped a bases loaded double to right center field in the fifth inning to score three and help lift the Blazers to a 6-4 non-conference win over Georgia College at Billy Grant Field.
The Bobcats took advantage of two first inning errors by the Blazers, the second of which allowed GCSU leadoff hitter Logan Mattix to score after drawing an errant throw on an attempt to steal third.
Valdosta State responded in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 1-1 on a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Dalton Duty, who one half inning later denied the Bobcats the lead after cutting down GCSU's Harris Lyons from right field as he attempted to score from second base on a Wesley Wommack single. The assist marked Duty's third of the young season
Roman Donofro (1-0) came on to relieve Blazer starter
Troy Massaro after a leadoff single in the fifth, and the Bobcats put two aboard after Mattix was hit by a pitch. Brandon Benson followed with a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, and Dylan Cook gave Georgia College the lead on an RBI grounder to short. Two batters later, Brandon Purcell plated another run with an RBI single, which put the Bobcats on top 3-1.
In the bottom half of the same inning,
Clint Carr started a one out rally after being struck by a pitch from reliever Colin LoCurto.
Scott Mathews followed with a walk, and Duty drew a two out walk two batters later to load the bases for Sigmon, who put the Blazers in front for the first time with the base clearing double to right center. The three RBI's gave Valdosta State a lead that would result in Donofro's first win and lifted Sigmon to 19 RBI's in just 10 games played thus far on the season.
A collective late-inning effort by an assortment of pitchers in the Blazer bullpen helped preserve the lead.
Mitchell Cody escaped a bases loaded jam in the eighth when he caught Lyons looking to strand the potential game-winning runs, and Hersey came on in the ninth to slam the door shut and pick up his third save of the season.
Seven of the Blazers' eight position players had at least one hit in the game, which helped improve Valdosta State to 7-3 on the year, while the Bobcats saw their overall record fall to 3-4.
VSU's next matchup will kick off the Gulf South Conference portion of their 2016 schedule, as the Christian Brothers Bucs come to town for a three game series. The weekend kicks off with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, and closes out on Sunday afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. finale.
