MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Trailing 9-5 entering the top of the ninth, the Valdosta State baseball team scored three runs in the frame, but left two stranded as Georgia College escaped with a 9-8 victory Monday evening.
 
The Blazers (30-16) scored eight runs on nine hits, but committed four errors leading to five unearned runs in the contest.  GC (22-23) scored nine runs on nine hits with two errors.  The Blazers used a single from graduate student Nick Gonzalez with one out and a walk followed to begin the ninth inning.  Senior Orlando Adams then singled through the left side for a 9-6 score, plating Gonzalez.  Another walk followed as GC went to the bullpen in favor of Caden Tillman.  Senior Bryson Gandy reached on a fielder's choice, plating a run and another run scored on a wild pitch.  Sophomore Trent Lewis walked for two on, but Tillman was able to get a strikeout to end the game, registering his first save of the season.  VSU ended the regular season dropping its final four games for a season-high skid.
 
GC scored the first run of the game in the second as the first error on the Blazers proved costly, advancing the runner to third.  A sacrifice fly scored the run.  The lead was short lived, however, as VSU plated two runs in the top of the third, highlighted by a two RBI triple from junior David Crawford for a 2-1 score.  The Blazers added two more in the fourth as sophomore Jovanni Canegitta hit a two-run home run to right field for a 4-2 score for his third dinger of the season. In the fifth, Adams singled through the left side for an RBI and a 5-1 cushion.
 
The Bobcats began the bottom of the frame with a solo home run from Mason Spivey and a throwing error on double steal made the score 5-3.  Another sacrifice fly trimmed the Blazer lead down to 5-4.  VSU had two on in the sixth, but was unable to score.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, GC plated five runs on four hits and two more Blazer miscues.  The Bobcats took the lead on an error scoring two runs, followed by an RBI double and an RBI single back-to-back for a 9-5 advantage, prior to the three runs by VSU in the ninth.
 
O. Adams went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBI to earn Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game accolades, while Crawford was 1 for 5 with an RBI and a triple and Canegitta was 1 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI including a home run.  Senior Ralph Morla, Jr., tallied his first hit of the season in the game, going 1 for 3 with a walk.  Sophomore JJ Finn pitched the first three innings, allowing one hit, one unearned run, walked two and fanned three.  Graduate student Jeremy Adams (0-4) took the loss, going three innings, allowing four hits, four runs – three earned and fanned two.  Sophomore Trent Lewis pitched one inning, surrendering three hits, four runs – one earned and senior Marvin De La Hoz saw his first action since Apr. 4, pitching the eighth, allowing one hit and fanned two. 
 
The Blazers finish the regular season on a four-game skid and now will open the Gulf South Conference Championship, Friday at 5 p.m. ET in Oxford, Ala., versus West Georgia.  Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to the championship later this week.