VALDOSTA, Ga. - After four consecutive scoreless innings for both teams, the Blazers offense came alive in the second half of the game to outscore the Thomas University Nighthawks 7-3 and give Quinton Forrester his first win of the season in non-conference action on Wednesday in Valdosta, Ga.
Thomas' Chance Carter and VSU's Sean Gabel went toe to toe throughout the first three innings of the game as the game's starting pitchers, and Forrester came on in relief in the fourth for two more scoreless frames.
The Blazers broke the trend in the fifth, however, when Luke Suchon and Elias Macias delivered back-to-back doubles for Valdosta State's first run. The red and black extended their lead just one batter later, when Carson McCullers slapped a ground ball to third and reached on a throwing error. Macias came all the way in to score on the play, and Valdosta State upped their lead to 2-0.
After the Nighthawks pulled to within one in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single by Gavin Murphy, the Blazers rebounded with a two-run double to right center off the bat of junior Andrew Williamson in the bottom of the same frame. Both Macias and McCullers, who respectively reached on a walk and a hit batsman, scored on the play to put VSU up 4-1 after seven.
In the top of the eighth, Thomas rallied with a walk and two singles to plate one run, and after a Jalbert Melo walk to load the bases, Trent Miller hit into a fielder's choice at short to score a run and trim Valdosta State's lead to 4-3. With one out and Chase Hinson representing the potential tying run at third, Justin Young lifted a shallow fly ball to right field. Dalton Murray hauled it in and fired a dart to the plate to retire Hinson as he tried to score the game tying run.
The Blazers carried the momentum over into the bottom of the eighth with a two out rally that resulted in three runs. Suchon started the surge with a monster home run over the left field wall that hopped off of the path behind the fence and landed on top of the softball field house. Macias reached again after he was hit by a pitch, and promptly stole both second and third base before McCullers drew a walk. Williamson loaded the bases with a walk, and pinch hitter Blake Seeley capped off the scoring with a two-run single through the middle.
Ricky Miranda, who came on in relief during the eighth, netted his third save of the season with a fly out and two strikeouts in the top of the ninth.
Valdosta State will square off against West Florida this weekend for their final regular season series. The three-game set will take place in Pensacola, Fla., and full coverage of the weekend can be found at www.vstateblazers.com.
