CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The theme of strong pitching continued into the 2019 Gulf South Conference opener as Valdosta State posted a 5-0 victory at Lee University Friday afternoon in the first game of a three-game series. VSU tossed a combined three-hitter in the win with six strikeouts and two walks.
 
VSU (8-1, 1-0 GSC) tallied five runs on seven hits with no errors as senior DJ King was 2 for 4 with two runs scored as the only Blazer with multiple hits.  Senior Josh Broughton went 1 for 3 with an RBI and a double.  
 
Blazer junior lefty Tristan Cone went six innings, allowing one hit, walked two and fanned five, while junior reliever Sean Gabel picked up his first save of the season, pitching the final three innings, allowing two hits and struck out one.  Cone and Gabel didn't allow an extra-base hit in the game as it marked the second shutout of the season for the Blazers.
 
Four errors proved costly for the Flames as VSU capitalized on the miscues for a total of four unearned runs.  Lee starter Alan Rickman (0-2) took the loss, going 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, three unearned runs, walked three and fanned three.  
 
VSU opened the scoring in the sixth inning as King and junior Mike Christopoulos reached on errors and, after Rickman was relieved, senior Andrew Williamson singled through the left side for a 1-0 lead.  Junior Jon Jon Burkett walked plating the second run and Broughton hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead. 
 
On a windy day with the wind blowing in, VSU used small ball in the seventh to manufacture runs as a squeeze sacrifice bunt from senior Aaron Haughton scored a run and two costly errors by the Flames led to the fifth run and a 5-0 lead.
 
Lee (3-5, 0-1 GSC) had two on in the bottom of the eighth with one out, but Gabel got out of the jam with a flyout and a fielder's choice.  He then retired the Flames in order in the ninth.
 
The series concludes with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday.  Fans can access links to live stats and streaming at vstateblazers.com and also check back with the site following the games for complete recaps and stats of each game.