CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Valdosta State Blazer baseball team dropped the first game of their three-game series 18-4 in seven innings versus the Lee University Flames on Friday afternoon.
 
VSU dropped to 6-4 (1-3 GSC), while LU improved to 9-4 (3-1 GSC). Both teams will play in a doubleheader tomorrow, as game one will start at 1 p.m. and game two will start approximately 30 minutes after game one finishes.
 
The long ball ignited the Flames, as they hit four as a team, with two of them coming from Brandon Daniels, who would drive in seven on the day. Offensively, senior Ryan Romano was sensational for Valdosta State, going 4-4 with two doubles and two driven in on the afternoon. He now holds a batting average of .536 in nine starts. Lee scored 18 runs on 18 hits, while Valdosta State scored four runs on ten hits.
 
Redshirt junior Zac Dodson got the call for the start, and LU jumped on him early, as Brandon Daniels hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the first to go up 2-0. The Blazers were able to get back a run when senior David Crawford singled to right center to bring home fellow senior Jacob Harper, as the Blazers trailed the Flames 2-1.
 
Another long ball plagued Valdosta State in the bottom of the second, this time it was Brantley Cutler who homered to right center to bring home two and make it 4-1 Flames. Lee would go on to score ten straight to lead 14-2 after five innings. The Blazers plated a few in the top of the sixth, as David Crawford doubled home Harper and a few batters later, Ryan Romano singled through the right side to bring home two. Lee would tack on four more in the bottom of the sixth and would go on to win, 18-4.
 
Zac Dodson got credited with the loss, as he went 4.2 innings and allowed 13 earned runs on 16 hits and struck out three. Jack Nedrow got credited with the win, as he went 5.2 innings and allowed four runs on ten hits and struck out nine Blazers.
 
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