MELBOURNE, Fla.  – Trailing 1-0 in the top of the eighth, senior Andrew Haughton hit a go ahead, two run, home run lifting the Valdosta State Blazer baseball team to a 3-1 victory over Wingate Friday afternoon.  The Blazers finished the three games at Florida Tech with a 2-1 record as the Blazers improved to 6-1 on the year, while Wingate fell to 4-2.
 
Valdosta State had a one out single from junior Jowenrick Daantji followed by him stealing second and moving to third on a miscue.  Wingate got out of the jam unscathed.  In the bottom of the inning, a walk to Tanner Forry, followed by a stolen base and a single from Tyler Schneider gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.  
 
The Blazers had runners on in the second, third and fourth innings, but was unable to score off starter Austin Turgeon.  VSU put two on, once again in the sixth, beginning with another miscue by the Bulldogs and a walk, but Turgeon got a strikeout and ground out to thwart the scoring chance. 
 
In the eighth, junior Mack Hathcock doubled down the line to begin the frame and a sacrifice bunt moved him to third.  Following an out, Haughton came up with his two-run blast for a 2-1 lead, chasing Turgeon from the game.  It was Haughton's first home run of the season and the second round-tripper for the Blazers in 2019.  VSU added the insurance run in the ninth beginning with a junior Parker Stephens single and he scored on a Daantji single to center for a 3-1 lead.  
 
After a quick out in the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Llewellyn doubled down the left field line brining the tying run to the plate.  VSU senior closer Trevin Eubanks fanned Hunter Dula for the second out and got a fly out to center to end the game.  It was his third save of the week.  
 
VSU dominated the offense, scoring three runs on 11 hits, but continued to strand men on base, leaving 11 for the game and 22 for the two games today.  Despite that, VSU won two games against Wingate this week as the Bulldogs were picked third in the South Atlantic Conference preseason poll after finishing 34-19 last season earning a berth in the NCAA postseason. 
 
For the Blazers, junior pitcher Cooper Cain was outstanding as he went 6.1 innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, walked two and fanned 13 to improve to 1-0 on the year.  Senior Josh Broughton went 2 for 5, while Daantji also was 2 for 5 with the insurance RBI.  Haughton was 2 for 4 with the home run and two RBI.  Senior Andrew Williamson was 3 for 4 to lead the team in hits.  Eubanks pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and fanning two as VSU tallied 15 strikeouts in the game.  
 
Turgeon (1-1) took the loss, surrendering the home run, while going 7.2 innings, allowing nine hits, two earned runs, walked one and fanned four.  Four different Bulldogs each had hits in the game as Forry drove in the lone run.  
 
The Blazers return home to host Albany State on Wednesday at 5 p.m., before opening Gulf South Conference play at Lee next weekend.