Box Score OXFORD, Ala. - The Valdosta State Blazers took down Auburn Montgomery 7-6 in extra innings in an elimination game of the 2021 Gulf South Conference Championship Saturday afternoon.
 
The Blazers (25-15, 22-13 Gulf South Conference) were led by Nick Lewis who recorded three hits during the elimination game. Six Blazers recorded multiple hits where Chase Coker led the team with a pair of RBI. Just like its first game of the tournament, the Blazers were forced to play catchup as AUM got on the board with a run in the first. VSU wouldn't play from behind much longer as Logan Stephens crossed the plate the following inning to tie things up. Coker put the Blazers up with a single, followed by two more runs to give VSU the three-run lead in the third. AUM came right back to score a pair to cut the Blazers lead to just one run. Nothing was happening for either team until the sixth where Jacob Harper batted in a run to put VSU up by a pair of runs. Auburn Montgomery was able to tie things up in the sixth and eventually took the 6-5 lead in the seventh. Stephens kept things alive in the ninth to force extras as Lewis added his third hit of the game to put VSU up by a run in the tenth. VSU took care of business, only seeing three batters in the bottom of the inning to secure the win. The Blazers recorded five double plays during the win for a new school record, one away from the NCAA DII record. In total, VSU erupted for 16 hits off 42 at-bats as AUM also saw double-digit hits with 14 off 34 at-bats. VSU left nine runners stranded while AUM left eight runs stranded on the base pads.
 
The Blazers will now face No. 1-seed Lee in an elimination game Sunday at 11 a.m. ET at Choccolocco Park. Lee fell today to Delta State by a final score of 13-2. The winner of the elimination game will face the winning team of West Florida versus Alabama Huntsville.
 
Fans can click on the links to the right of this story for live stats, audio/video streaming and more for the game Saturday afternoon.
 
No. 4-SEED VALDOSTA STATE 7, No. 8-SEED AUBURN MONTGOMERY 6 (10 Inn.)
 
Auburn Montgomery was able to put the Blazers down early with a RBI in the first inning. The Blazers wouldn't play from behind much longer, however, as Stephens found first followed by a Coker double to tie things up at one. The Blazers kept the game moving in the third as David Maberry drew a two-out walk which started a rally for VSU. Stephens added another hit under his belt which set Coker up to smack a single to left field to put the Blazers up. A throwing error sent Stephens home followed by a Collin Teegarden single to quickly give the Blazers a 4-1 lead. AUM would answer with a pair of runs in the third to cut the Blazers lead to just one.
 
The Blazers were held to no hits in the fourth and fifth but held AUM scoreless to stay in the lead. Teegarden broke the teams hitless streak with a single towards left, getting pushed up a bag off a sacrifice bunt. Harper extended the lead to a pair with a RBI through the right side for an insurance run late in the ball game. AUM was able to answer in the sixth and tie the ballgame up at five heading down the stretch.
 
The Blazers were hitless in the seventh which allowed AUM to take the lead late at 6-5. VSU had six more outs to work with to try and continue on in the GSC Championship but remained hitless in the eighth. Now with three more outs to stay alive, the pressure was on for the Blazers. After a flyout, Lewis looked to get things started with a single towards left field, followed by a Jordan Holt pinch hit and error to put runners on second and third. Stephens sent a high sacrifice fly out towards center to send Lewis home to tie things up at six. Jakob Barker got the nod to shut things down in the ninth to force extras, doing so while just facing three batters.
 
The Warhawks were able to retire the first two Blazers, but Harper kept the inning alive with a single. Ben Rowdon followed suit to put runners on first and second, bringing up Lewis who ripped a single through the left side to put the Blazers ahead by one in extras. Barker continued to be lights out, giving up a walk but forcing a double play, followed by fanning the last batter to secure the win.