TAMPA, Fla. – Six runs in the top of the eighth inning propelled the No. 22 Valdosta State baseball team to a 6-3 victory at No. 2 Tampa Tuesday evening.  The Blazers improved to 15-8 on the year, while Tampa fell to 17-4.  The teams will meet in Valdosta on April 4 at 5 p.m., at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park to conclude the season series.
 
The victory gave VSU its second-straight regular season victory at Tampa as the Blazers defeated the Spartans, who were ranked No. 1 nationally, on Mar. 20, 2019, 8-3.  The Blazers now has won five of the last seven meetings in the series.
 
With two out and two on in the bottom of the seventh Tampa's J.D. Urso reached on a fielding error, plating two unearned runs for a 2-0 lead.  The Blazers responded in the top of the eight as junior David Crawford began the inning with a walk.  Following a pitching change by the Spartans, graduate student Nick Gonzalez singled and moved Crawford to third.  Graduate student JP Gates came up with his first hit of the game, plating Crawford.  Junior Orlando Adams put down a sacrifice bunt, but an error on the pitcher plated the equalizing run.  With just one out, Tampa loaded the bases looking for the double play, but graduate student and pinch-hitter Jakob Sessa had other ideas as he tripled down the right field line, plating three runs, followed by a senior Bryson Gandy RBI single for a 6-2 lead. 
 
In the bottom of the eighth Tampa's Jose Cadenas tripled down the right field line and, on an 0-2 count with two out, Jordan Lala singled up the middle, plating Cadenas for a 6-3 score.  VSU went to the bullpen, replacing senior Brandon Raiden for freshman Anthony Martens.  Martens got out of the jam with a strikeout sending the game to the ninth. 
 
VSU put two on with two out, but was unable to add to its lead in the ninth as Tampa had the heart of its order due up in the bottom of the frame.  Urso grounded out for the first out and EJ Doskow flied out to center for the second out.  Martens got a ground out to third to end the game. 
 
The Blazers scored six runs on seven hits with one error, while the high-octane Spartans had three runs on five hits and one error.  Tampa entered the game hitting .338 for the season and hit just .156 for the game on 5 of 32 batting.
 
Junior Zane Stephens (1-1) earns the win in relief, going two innings, allowing two hits, one earned run and fanned two.  Martens picks up his first save of the season.  As a staff, VSU used five pitchers and fanned nine Spartans in the game. 
 
Offensively, no Blazer had more than one hit, but Sessa was 1 for 1 with a run scored, a triple and three RBI to earn Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors.  Urso finished 1 for 4 with two RBI for Tampa. 
 
The Blazers worked out of two on jams in both the fourth and fifth innings to preserve a scoreless game as both teams had just two hits to that point.  VSU had a chance in the top of the seventh as sophomore Sean McArdle began the inning with a single and freshman Raynel Ortiz was hit by a pitch, but the Blazers were unable to score.  VSU stranded seven on base, while Tampa left 11 batters on base.
 
VSU continues on the road this weekend as it travels to Christian Brothers.  Due to the threat of inclement weather at CBU, the games have been moved to a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, and a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
 
 Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats and streaming of the series.