DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Behind a combined 17 strikeout performance, the Valdosta State baseball team opened the 2019 season with a 6-0 victory at Embry-Riddle Friday evening.  The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday to conclude the three-game series, beginning at 1 p.m.
 
VSU collected 11 hits in the game and eight different Blazers had hits in the contest with three having two hits.  Senior transfer Josh Broughton went 2 for 4 with two RBI to lead the team, while junior Parker Stephens and junior Mike Christopoulos each went 2 for 4, both scoring runs and Christopoulos added a RBI. 
 
On the bump, junior Jonathan Gettys earned the opening day start, going four innings of two hit baseball, walked two and fanned ten.  Junior Tristan Cone (1-0) earned the win, going four innings, allowing five hits, walked one and fanned six.  Senior Call Graham pitched the ninth inning, walked one and fanned one. 
 
For the Eagles, Luis Oliver went 2 for 4 from the dish, while five other players collected one hit each.  Starter Payton Rice (0-1) took the loss in four innings, allowing five hits, four runs – two earned, walked four and fanned seven.  Embry-Riddle recorded six walks and struck out seven in the game. 
 
The Blazers completely stymied the Eagles, as VSU allowed seven hits in the game, just one extra-base hit as it held the Eagles to a .206 average for the game.  VSU hit .324 on 11 of 34 with six runs scored and five RBI, while recording two doubles from Broughton and senior Andrew Williamson. 
 
Broughton began the game with a single and moved to third on a fielder's choice as the Blazers set the tone early with two runs in their first at bat of the season.  A bases loaded wild pitch plated the first run and Williamson doubled down the right field line on a 1-0 pitch with two out for a 2-0 lead.   
 
In the fourth, a walk and an Eagle miscue put two on with nobody out for the Blazers.  Broughton hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead and Christopoulos, who reached on the error, later scored unearned, as the Blazers made the Eagles pay for the miscue and a 4-0 lead.   
 
VSU added to its lead in the sixth as Broughton doubled home a run for a 5-0 lead, while ERAU had its best opportunity to score in the bottom of the frame, putting two on with less than two outs, but Cone came back with a strikeout and a fielder's choice to end the threat. 
 
ERAU (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) put two on base in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but the Blazers were up to the task as they preserved the shutout to open the season.
 
Links to streaming and live stats for Saturday's doubleheader can be found at vstateblazers.com on the baseball schedule page.  Following the games, check back with vstateblazers.com for a complete recap of tomorrow's doubleheader on the baseball schedule page.