VALDSOTA, Ga. – The No. 23 Valdosta State baseball team played its first game since Mar. 19 and dropped a 13-5 decision to Lee at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park Saturday evening.  The teams will conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Fans can access links to live stats and streaming of the doubleheader at vstateblazers.com on the baseball schedule page and the games also will be broadcast in Valdosta on TALK 92.1 WDDQ FM with Bill Malone having the call.
 
Lee scored 13 runs on 17 hits with no errors, while VSU scored five runs on ten hits and one error for the game.  Blazer graduate student Jakob Sessa was 3 for 5 with a runs scored to earn Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors. Lee's Cam Suto was 5 for 6 with three runs scored and one RBI, while Brandon Daniels was 3 for 6 with a run scored and a team-high five RBI. 
 
The Flames got things started with three runs in the top of the first as they loaded the bases with one out.  Daniels singled through the right side, plating two runs and a sacrifice fly gave the Flames a 3-0 lead.  Lee added two more in the third on an RBI ground out and an infield single for a 5-0 lead.
 
VSU had a good chance in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of singles to begin the frame, but a ground out and a pair of strikeouts ended the threat.  In the fifth, a hit batsmen and a single from junior David Crawford, once again put two on and this time graduate student Nick Gonzalez doubled down the left field line plating two runs for a 5-2 deficit.
 
Lee (18-14, 8-8 GSC) added six runs in the top of the sixth for an 11-2 score.  The Blazers loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame, but came away empty handed leaving the bags full.  VSU pulled within 11-5 on a bases loaded walk and a hit batsmen in the seventh, but again left the bags full.  Lee added a pair of runs in the eighth and ninth for the final margin of 13-5.