CLEVELAND, Miss. - With runners in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth for the second-straight game against Delta State, and the bases in the latter, the Valdosta State baseball team was unable to capitalize Friday afternoon, falling 6-4 in the second game of the 2019 NCAA South II Regional.  VSU now will await the winner of the Eckerd/Embry-Riddle game tonight at 8 p.m. ET in an elimination game.   The winner of tonight's game will need to beat Delta State twice on Saturday to win the regional. 
 
No. 5 Delta State (41-12) broke a 4-4 score in the top of the ninth as VSU battled back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth.  The Statesmen used an infield single, walk and sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third.  VSU intentionally walked CJ Estave to load the bases for an out at any base.  The second walk of the inning followed as DSU took a 5-4 lead off VSU senior closer Trevin Eubanks.  The Blazers made a change as junior Bryce Van Horn relieved Eubanks as he got the second out on the RBI ground out for a 6-4 score and then a fly out to center ended the inning. 
 
In the bottom of the ninth, junior pinch-hitter Aaron Haughton began the inning with a single to left and a throwing error allowed senior Mack Hathcock to reach on a sacrifice bunt loading the bases as VSU  turned its lineup over to bring up Nos. 2-4 hitters with nobody out.  DSU brought in closer Tommy Childee for starter Dalton Minton as Childee fanned junior Jowenrick Daantji and senior Josh Broughton and got a ground out to third to end the game. 
 
On Championship Tuesday in the Gulf South Conference Tournament, VSU battled back to within 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth with two runs, but left two on in the inning, including the tying run at third as DSU eliminated VSU from the conference tournament the game before the championship game.
 
The Blazers took the early lead in the contest with single runs in the first two innings as Daantji singled to center, moved to second on a balk from Minton and stole third.  Broughton drove him home with a ground out to shortstop for a 1-0 lead.  VSU then scored on a home run to left field from junior Logan Stephens to begin the second inning for his first home run of the season and a 2-0 lead.
 
VSU put runners on in the third, but was unable to capitalize leaving runners at second and third.  In the bottom of the fourth, Estave singled to right to begin the inning off junior starter Cooper Cain.  An error by the Blazers on a fielder's choice plated the first run, while a RBI double down the left field line plated the second run and a RBI single with a 1-2 count and two outs scored the third for a 3-2 DSU lead.  Junior Sean Gabel relieved Cain and got a pop out to shortstop to end the inning as DSU left the bags full. 
 
A solo home run from Estave to begin the fifth inning gave DSU a 4-2 lead, but the Blazers cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth as a two out walk to junior Mike Christopoulos got things started in the frame.  Senior Andrew Williamson came up with a huge RBI double to right center on a 1-2 count for the score. 
 
The Blazer then tied the game in the seventh as Daanji reached on a throwing error as he originally was called out for the second out in the inning, but after a lengthy discussion from the umpires, was ruled safe as VSU had runners at the corners with one out instead of two.  Broughton hit a sacrifice fly for a RBI and a 4-4 score. 
 
VSU (31-22) tallied four runs on five hits with two costly errors leading to three unearned runs, while DSU had six runs on eight hits with two errors and one unearned run.  Minton (11-3) earned the win in eight innings, allowing four hits, four runs – three earned, walked five and fanned six.  Eubanks (0-4) took the loss in 1.1 innings, allowing one hit, two earned runs, walked three and fanned two.  Cain went 3.2 innings, allowing five hits, three runs – one earned, walked two and fanned three. 
 
The Blazers had four hits from four different players as Broughton drove in two, while Stephens had the home run and Williamson had the RBI double.  Estave was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and a RBI for the Statesmen.