TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 4-seed Valdosta State Blazer baseball team came up short in a 5-4 loss in an elimination game in the NCAA South Region #1 to No. 8-seed Spring Hill College Friday afternoon. The Blazers finish the season with a 33-20 record, while Spring Hill improved to 33-22.
 
In the top of the second, the Blazers had a great chance as freshman Raynel Ortiz began the frame with a single through the left side and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Two walks loaded the bases, but with two out, the Badgers were able to get the fielder's choice at third for the out as VSU left the bags full.
 
Blazer graduate student JP Gates belted his eighth home run of the season with two out in the top of the third for a 1-0 lead.  Then in the fourth, junior Jacob Harper doubled down the left field line and an infield single to senior Bryson Gandy put two on with one out.  A throwing error on the Badgers plated Harper, followed by a sacrifice fly from sophomore Trent Lewis for a 3-0 lead. 

Spring Hill got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of singles and a hit batsmen to load the bases.  The Badgers scored on a fielder's choice, but the Blazer "D" came up big with an inning-ending double play to prevent further damage.
 
An error on the Blazers led to two runs in the bottom of the fifth tying the game at 3-3.  On a 2-2 count with two outs from Blazer senior starter Brandon Raiden, Luke Sweeney doubled down the left field line for a 4-3 SHC lead.
 
VSU loaded the bases, once again, in the seventh with one out as Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating junior Preston Joye for a 4-4 score.  VSU left two more stranded in the inning for eight stranded on base to that point. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, VSU relieved Raiden for junior Zane Stephens after a hit batsmen to begin the frame.  A single and a sacrifice fly plated the go ahead run for the Badgers.  VSU used a leadoff double from Harper in the eighth and a walked followed.  A fielder's choice and a double steal ensued and a walk loaded the bases, once again, for VSU.  SHC preserved the lead with a fielder's choice out at home and then VSU grounded out to second as the Blazers left the bags full again.  VSU went down in order in the ninth for a disappointing end to the season.
 
Harper finished 2 for 2 with a run scored, a double and two walks offensively earning Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors as VSU scored four runs on six hits and one error.  Spring Hill finished with five runs on 11 hits and three errors, while VSU stranded ten men on base for the game and SHC left seven on base.  Raiden (5-2) took the loss, going six innings, allowing ten hits, five earned runs, walked one and fanned four. 
 
Despite the loss, VSU qualified for back-to-back NCAA postseason appearances for the first time since 2009 and 2010, while it reached the Gulf South Conference Championship Game this season.  VSU won 30 or more games for the fourth time in the last seven seasons and the eighth time under head coach Greg Guilliams.  The 33 victories are the most for VSU since 2016-17.