VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State baseball team defeated Shorter University 11-8 in game one and 6-2 in game two of its doubleheader for a key series sweep. The Blazers improved to 16-5 overall and 9-2 in the Gulf South Conference while the Hawks fell to 14-10 overall and 8-6 in the GSC.
 
Game One (VSU 11, SU 8)
The Blazers got on board first in the first inning with a double by junior Bryson Gandy who advanced to third and scored on a single by junior David Crawford.
 
The Blazers added three more in the third as junior Ryan Romano, Gandy, and junior EJ Doskow all crossed home plate.
 
The Hawks added four runs in the fifth, but the Blazers answered back and tallied three with Crawford, Doskow, and graduate student Mike Christopoulos scored.
 
Shorter rallied two more in the seventh and eighth but it wasn't enough as the Blazers finished on top.
 
Valdosta State outhit Shorter 10-9 and both teams had two errors each. The Blazers also tallied nine RBI, two doubles, one triple, and three stolen bases.
 
Crawford led the Blazers going 3 for 4 with one RBI and one stolen base. Freshman Anthony Gutierrez recorded the only triple and Gandy and redshirt-senior Luke Ard both tallied doubles. Gandy also went 2 for 6 with two runs scored and Ard went 2 for 5 with four RBI and one run scored.
 
Sophomore JJ Finn started on the mound for the Blazers and threw four innings with three strikeouts and gave up one run and four hits. Junior Brandon Raiden, sophomore Scott Curran, and sophomore Nick Ferrara also threw for the Blazers.
 
Raiden recorded the win for the Blazers and moved to 4-1 on the season. He recorded three strikeouts and gave up three hits and four runs.
 
Game Two (VSU 6, SU 2)
Valdosta State started off strong in the first with a two-run home run by Doskow that scored Crawford who reached on from a Hawk error.
 
The Hawks scored one in the second and one in the fifth, but it wasn't enough as the Blazers tallied three in the fourth and one in the fifth to keep the lead and take the win.
 
Valdosta State finished the game with six hits, six RBI, one double, and one home run. Hits were recorded by sophomore Preston Joye (1), Doskow (2), senior Jisjar Clotida (1), Gutierrez (1), sophomore Jacob Harper (1). Harper also recorded the only double for the game.
 
Junior Kevin Tomas started on the mound for the Blazers and threw 4.2 innings and recorded two strikeouts and gave up four hits and two runs.
 
Also throwing for the Blazers and recorded the win was graduate student Adrian Garrastazu (1-0). Garrastazu threw 2.1 innings and recorded four strikeouts and gave up four hits.
 
The Blazers are back in action on Tuesday, March 22 for a midweek matchup against Georgia Southwestern at 6 p.m. in Americus, Ga. Following the midweek game, the Blazers face GSC foe Mississippi College for an away weekend series in Clinton, Miss.
 
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