CLINTON, Miss. – The Valdosta State baseball team scored six runs in the top of the ninth to steal game two and win the series versus the Mississippi College Choctaws on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers would drop game three to end the five-game winning streak but head back to Valdosta having won five straight Gulf South Conference series.
Valdosta State ended the weekend with a 19-13 (12-9 GSC) record while Mississippi College dropped to 15-19 (7-14 GSC).
The Blazers had eight hits in each game of the doubleheader, as junior
Hunter Stowe hit his fifth homer of the year in game two. Junior
Payton Adkisson picked up his first win of the year in game one in relief.
GAME ONE: VALDOSTA STATE: 7 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE: 6
Through four innings of play, each team had two hits and no runs as redshirt junior
Hunter Booth was dealing early on. In the bottom of the fifth, Korey Cooper kicked things off for the Choctaws with a leadoff single through the right side. The very next batter doubled to left to put runners on second and third with no one out. With the infield back, a groundout brought home a run to make it 1-0 MC. A laser to right brought home another run to double the lead to two as Mississippi College started to figure out Booth. Caleb Reese got the pitch he wanted on a 3-1 count as he hit his 11
th homer of the year to make it 4-0 Choctaws through five.
Valdosta State didn't get on the board until the top of the seventh, as
Hunter Stowe brought home sophomore
Dennis Pierce who doubled earlier in the inning on a single to left as VSU trailed 4-1 through seven innings.
A failed pickoff attempt resulted in a run in the bottom of the eighth for Mississippi College before a single brought home another run to grow the lead to 6-1 heading into the final three outs.
Senior
Ryan Romano started the top half with a single before
Dennis Pierce drew a walk to give Valdosta State some life. Mississippi College went to the bullpen to try and slow VSU down. A fielder's choice moved both runners into scoring position with one out. A single from Stowe brought home Romano to make it 6-2 MC. Junior
Cole Steinmetz came in for a pinch-hit single to Pierce and keep the rally going. After a strikeout, senior
David Crawford drew a walk to load the bases for sophomore
DJ Banks, who also drew a walk which brough home a run a put the tying run in scoring position for junior
Pedro Moreno. A wild pitch from the Choctaws brought home Steinmetz and moved Crawford to third. Down to his final strike,
Pedro Moreno ripped a ball to center to bring home two and give the Blazers their first lead of the day, now up 7-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, junior
Nick Ferrara came in and shut the door for the second straight night, as he retired the side in order for his fifth save of the season.
GAME TWO: VALDOSTA STATE: 3 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE: 5
Sophomore
Anthony Martens got the call as Valdosta State went for the sweep. Mississippi College jumped on him early after back-to-back singles had runners on the corners with no one out. A sacrifice fly brought home a run to make it 1-0 MC.
The Choctaws kept pouring it on in the bottom of the third, as Wesley Sides launched a three-run home run for his ninth of the season to make it 4-0 through three.
A leadoff single from junior
Jovanni Canegitta gave Valdosta State some life.
Hunter Stowe followed suit with a towering shot to center to cut the deficit in half, as Valdosta State still trailed 4-2 through four.
The Blazers kept the momentum going in the top of the fifth, as back-to-back singles and a hit batter had the bases loaded with one out.
Hunter Stowe drove in his third run of the day with a sacrifice fly to right as Valdosta State trailed 4-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom frame, junior
Ryan Brown came in from the bullpen and ran intro trouble. Two straight singles led to a sacrifice fly to grow the lead back to two through five.
Valdosta State would muster two hits through the last two innings, as they fell 5-3 in game three to Mississippi College.
Valdosta State will be back at home on Tuesday, Apr. 9 at 5 p.m. versus no. 7 Saint Leo.
