ALBANY, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers slugged their way to victory over the Albany State Golden Rams in their season opener in Albany, Ga. on Tuesday afternoon by a score of 6-1. Sophomore Dennis Pierce made a great impression in his first game as a Blazer, smacking two home runs over the left field fence while driving in four. VSU improves to 1-0 with the victory on the road as ASU drops to 0-1.
 
 Junior Keaton Fuller picked up the win, as the recent Troy transfer logged two innings of work and struck out three batters and retired six of the seven batters he faced. In total, head coach Greg Guilliams used seven arms, as they allowed a total of three hits and struck out eight.
 
On the offensive side, Valdosta State racked up nine hits including four doubles and Pierce's two homers.
 
In the top of the first, junior Jovanni Canegitta ripped a double over the center fielder's head to get things brewing for the Blazers early. A walk from sophomore Dennis Pierce gave VSU a chance to do some damage, but VSU left two stranded to open the season.
 
Valdosta State starting cooking in the top of the third, with leadoff batter junior Pedro Moreno reaching on an error to shortstop. After the next batter struck out after working a full-count, sophomore Dennis Pierce smacked a first pitch to the trees out into left to give VSU an early 2-0 over ASU. The very next pitch, designated hitter junior Hunter Stowe was inches away from making it back-to-back home runs, but settled with a double off the wall, knocking Preseason DII All-American Jeremiah Riddell out of the game. The Blazers struck again, this time with a double down the left field line from graduate student Leeandro Alfonzo to increase the Valdosta State lead to 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second.
 
VSU turned to junior Nick Ferrara to open up the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Anthony Martens finished with a line of two innings, zero hits, zero runs, two strikeouts, and one walk.  The Golden Rams were able to muster a score off two hits and a walk to make it 3-1 in favor of the Blazers. A passed ball got the tying run in scoring position for ASU, as Ferrara was able to get out of the jam, leaving two runners stranded and holding a 3-1 Valdosta State lead.
 
Fielding errors continued to be an issue for the Golden Rams, as junior Carson Russel reached on an error and then advancing to third on a perfectly executed hit and run from Moreno. Moreno then stole on the next pitch to have runners on second and third with no one out. Two straight shallow flyouts and an intentional walk gave right fielder Marcos Sevillano a chance to do some damage with the bases juiced. Another shallow flyout got the Golden Rams out of a jam with the Blazers leading 3-1 through three and a half innings.
 
Junior Keaton Fuller came in relief for Nick Ferrara in the bottom of the fourth. The junior came in a did damage, striking out the side on 12 pitches to keep the Golden Rams at bay.
 
Valdosta State opened the sixth inning in explosive fashion as junior Carson Russell cracked a single up the middle before Moreno blasted a double to left field, putting two Blazers in scoring position with no outs. The Golden Rams brought in a new arm as junior Jovanni Canegitta popped up a sacrifice, bringing in Russell from third and giving VSU a three-run cushion, 4-1.
 
The Blazers were not done scoring just yet in the contest as Canegitta took a one-out walk to get VSU on base early in the top of the eighth. ASU made a quick pitching change, but it made no difference to Pierce, who crushed his second homer of the day, building the Valdosta State lead to 6-1.
 
The VSU arms shut the door on ASU the rest away, with the Blazers coming away with a 6-1 victory.
 
The Blazers host Florida Tech on Friday at 5 p.m. for the home opener before squaring off against the Panthers for a double header on Saturday with first pitch at 1 p.m.