VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State baseball took game one of three versus Christian Brothers by a score of 5-2 on Friday night, as redshirt junior Zac Dodson had another lockdown start on the mound, as he went seven shutout innings and allowed four hits and one walk while striking out a season-high eight batters on 90 pitches. The Blazers improved to 23-15 (15-10 GSC) while the Bucs dropped to 14-29 (6-22 GSC).
 
VSU was only able to scrape together six hits on the night, but they came in clutch situations as graduate student Owen Lawn and sophomore Marcos Sevillano each drove in two on the evening. On the other side, freshman Connor McCaleb was solid for CBU, as he went 7.2 innings and allowed five earned runs to give the Bucs a chance.
 
A total of 17 pitches were thrown in the first inning, as Blazer redshirt junior Zac Dodson and Buccaneer freshman Connor McCaleb made quick work of the first three batters, retiring them all on fly balls or groundouts.
 
Zac "Doddy" Dodson went straight back to work in the second inning, forcing a hard groundout and striking out the second batter before fanning another one, as Doddy was perfect through two. In the bottom of the second, junior Hunter Stowe was hit by the pitch on 2-0 and then advanced on a wild pitch to put a Blazer in scoring position. On a 2-0 count, graduate student Owen Lawn was gifted a meatball and mashed a two-run homer over the left field fence to put VSU up 2-0 through two.
 
A groundout, a strikeout, and a flyout had Doddy breezing through the Buccaneer lineup, as he retired the first nine hitters on just 29 pitches. McCaleb was starting to get in a groove, as he retired the Blazers in order in the bottom of the third, as Valdosta State was still leading 2-0.
 
To open the top of the fourth, a slicing ball into the right field corner was caught by junior Jovanni Canegitta, to retire the first batter. Two more strikeouts had Dodson with five Ks through four innings of play. A walk and a hit batter had the Blazers threatening in the bottom half of the fourth, but McCaleb was able to get out of it unscathed.
 
The Buccaneers recorded their first hit of the evening with two outs on a 2-2 count by Jalen Smith up the middle in the top of the fifth. Through five innings, Dodson had allowed one hit on 55 pitches. Redshirt junior Farid Eljaiek was hit by a pitch and advanced to third a few pitches later on a stolen base and error. With two down and a runner at third, senior Ryan Romano laced a ball down the third base line to plate Eljaiek and grow the Blazer lead to 3-0 through five.
 
 
After retiring the first two in the top of the sixth, a two-out hit followed by a stolen base by CBU's Royal Hobson had their first runner in scoring position. This was quickly erased by another Dodson strikeout to strand Hobson through six and a half innings. Junior Hunter Stowe kickstarted the VSU offense in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double to put pressure on the Bucs. A five-pitch walk to senior Jacob Harper followed by a strikeout had two on for sophomore DJ Banks, who grounded into a double play to end the inning.
 
 
After breezing through 6.2 innings of ball, Dodson ran into trouble. A two out hit followed by a walk had runners on first and second with two down, as head coach Greg Guilliams went to the mound to try and calm him down. Another two-out hit loaded the bases for the Bucs. On a 1-1 count, Dodson forced a dribbler back to the mound, where he grabbed it and tossed it to Lawn at first base to get out of the jam, as Valdosta State still led 3-0. A single followed by a stolen base with one out from junior Pedro Moreno had Valdosta State on the prowl for some insurance. A groundout followed by another intentional walk to sophomore Dennis Pierce had two on with two out. A pop out got CBU's McCaleb out of another jam, as he completed seven innings while allowing three runs.
 
Guilliams rolled Dodson out in the eighth inning, as he was at 89 pitches through seven innings of four-hit ball. A first-pitch error forced Guilliams to go to his bullpen, as he turned to junior Nick Ferrara with one on and no one out as the order turned over. A triple into the left field corner brought home Walker as Valdosta State led 3-1 with Christian Brothers looking for more. A slow chopper to Ferrara brought the runner at third home, as it was now 3-2 with no one on and one out. Ferrara would send the next two Bucs packing on strikes, as the Blazers led 3-2 through seven and a half innings. VSU had more opportunity to tack on insurance in the bottom of the eighth as a hit by pitch and a single had runners at the corners with two outs. After a stolen base by DJ Banks, there were runners on second and third for sophomore Marcos Sevillano, who ripped a ball to right on a full count to plate two and give the Blazers some insurance, as they were now up 5-2 through eight innings.
 
Ferrara returned to the mound in the top of the ninth. Ferrara walked the leadoff hitter to bring Jalen Smith to the plate, who was fanned on three swings and misses by Ferrara's nasty stuff for out number one. An infield single brought the tying run to the plate in Will Gossett, who flew out to center for out number two. On an 0-2 count, Ferrara forced a little dribble to DJ Banks at third, who stepped on the bag to give VSU a 5-2 Friday night win.
 
The Blazers and Bucs are back in action tomorrow for a senior day doubleheader, as festivities will commence around 12:30 p.m. for seniors Ryan Romano, David Crawford, Jacob Harper, Zac Dodson, and JJ Finn.