VALDOSTA, Ga. – A walk-off RBI triple from Valdosta State senior Jisjar Clotida lifted the Blazers to an 8-7 victory over visiting Saint Leo in the 2022 home-opener Wednesday evening.  
 
Blazer senior EJ Doskow walked to begin the bottom of the ninth and then, with two away and a 0-0 count, Clotida had the winning hit.  VSU improved to 4-3 on the year, while Saint Leo fell to 6-3.  VSU held a 4-1 lead through four innings, only to see the Lions roar back to tie the game at four in the fifth inning, at sixth in the seventh inning and seven in the ninth inning.   
 
VSU was led by junior Ryan Romano, who was the lone Blazer recording a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI, along with one of three triples by the Blazers in the game.  Clotida was 1 for 5 with the winner.  Sophomore Raymond Fields (1-0) earns the victory in one third of an inning. As senior starter Brandon Raiden went 4.1 innings, allowing three hits, four runs – one earned, walked two and fanned four.  VSU used six pitchers in the game. 
 
For the Lions, Sam Crail went 3 for 5 with three runs scored and one RBI.  Starter Luke Lashutka went 1.2 innings, allowing four hits, four runs – three earned, walked two and fanned one.  Devin Blair took the loss in 0.2 innings (0-1), allowing one hit, one earned run, walked one and fanned one.   
 
A great bunt down the third base line on the first pitch of the game by Buck Anderson and then he stole second for a man in scoring position with nobody out.  VSU junior hurler Brandon Raiden came back for a big strikeout for the first out.  Anderson then stole third followed by an RBI ground out for a 1-0 lead for the Lions in the top of the first.   Raiden got a fly out to left to end the inning.  
 
The lead was short lived for the Lions, as junior David Crawford began the bottom of the first with a single to left, followed by an RBI triple from junior Ryan Romano for a 1-1 score.  VSU took the lead on an RBI double from senior Luke Ard as SLU needed a mound visit.  Following two outs, graduate student Mike Christopoulos drew a walk for runners at the corners.  VSU tried to induce the run down with a double steal, but Ard was thrown out at home to end the inning. 
 
VSU hit its second triple of the game, this time a one out trifecta from junior Orlando Adams to right center with one away in the bottom of the second.  After the second out, Crawford reached on a three-base error with two away.  Romano drew a walk for runners at the corners, once again, and another mound visit for the Lions and eventually a pitching change.  Huston Richter replaced starter Luke Lashutka.  SLU put runners at second and third in the top of the third, but Raiden got a ground out to short to get out of the jam. 
 
The Blazers put two on with a bleeder to center and a hit batsman in the bottom of the third with one away, looking to add to the 4-1 lead.  The Lions turned a big double play to get out of the inning without further damage.   
 
Two errors on the Blazers in the top of the fifth scored one run and put two on for the Lions as VSU went to the bullpen with one out as Nick Ferrara replaced Raiden.  Ferrara fanned the first batter he faced in three pitches. On an 0-2 count, Mike Wyman doubled to left, plating two runs for a 4-4 score, chasing Ferrara from the game in favor of junior Zach Henderson.  Henderson got a fly out to center to end the inning as all three runs in the inning were unearned.   
 
Two errors on the Lions put runners at the corners for the Blazers in the bottom of the fifth with nobody out.  A stolen base from Ard put both runners in scoring position and a 2-2 count on Doskow, who hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 5-4 lead.  A single up the middle from sophomore Preston Joye scored a run for a 6-4.  Following a pitching change by the Lions, Christopoulos drew a walk for two on and one out, while a walk loaded the bases with two out and another pitching change by SLU.  The Lions got a ground ball out to second to end the inning.   
 
SLU pulled within 6-5 in the sixth on a two out, RBI single from Anderson and, on a 3-2 count to Giusepi Arcuri, Henderson fanned him looking to get out of the jam.   The Lions began the top of the seventh with a double to right from Sam Crail and a pitching change from the Blazers as sophomore Scott Curran replaced Henderson.  On a 2-2 count, Bobby Sparling laced an RBI single to center to tie the game at six as it marked the third-straight inning SLU had scored and run over that span.  Curran fanned the next two batters and got a foul out to first to end the inning. 
 
With two out in the bottom of the eighth and Adams at first, Romano hit a bloop-single to right to put runners at the corners.  A wild pitch plated Adams for a 7-6 VSU lead and Romano moved to second.  Ard flied out to right to end the inning.   
 
SLU began the top of the ninth with a triple off the wall from Crail off graduate student Adrian Garrastazu, who replaced Curran in the ninth. Sparling hit a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game at seven.  A walk followed, but Garrastazu got the second out on fly out to center.  Another free pass followed.  Pinch-hitter Eddie Nieman III came in as VSU made a move to the bullpen in favor of sophomore Raymond Fields.   Nieman grounded to second as the Blazers got out of the inning preserving the tie game.

The Blazers will host Gulf South Conference foe Alabama Huntsville for their first GSC home series of the season. The Chargers and Blazers will play a doubleheader on Saturday Feb. 19, starting at 1 p.m., and will finish the series with a single game on Sunday Feb. 20, at 1 p.m.