WINTER PARK, Fla. – After trailing by five runs, Valdosta State was able to rally back and tie the game up at seven in the top of the seventh before dropping game two on a walk-off home runs from Rollins. VSU dropped to 0-2 while RC improved to 2-0 heading into game three tomorrow.  
 
The Blazers once again outhit the Tars, as VSU tallied 12 hits to RC's nine, but Rollins had the biggest hit in the end as Mason Wilson hit a homer to left off Valdosta State closer Nick Ferrara. Four Blazers tallied two or more hits for the second straight game, as Jovanni Canegitta, Hunter Stowe, Orlando Pena, and DJ Banks each tallied two hits for head coach Jan Weisberg. Senior Hunter Booth got the ball on Saturday afternoon, as the righty threw four innings and allowed seven runs with six of them being earned on 71 total pitches.
 
Junior Keaton Fuller was lights out of the bullpen, as he relieved Booth and slowed down the hot Tar offense, tossing three innings of no-hit ball while striking out two batters on just 25 pitches. Senior DJ Banks continued his strong start to the 2025 campaign, as the second baseman drove in three runs including two in the top of the seventh to bring his batting average up to .375 through two games.
 
Valdosta State will look to steal game three as first pitched is slated for Sunday, Feb. 2 at 12 p.m.
 
Rollins would strike first in the bottom half of the first, as a leadoff single followed by a one out walk resulted in two runners on for Mason Wilson, who laced a ball down the right field to drive home two and give the Tars a 2-0 lead early.
 
Senior Orlando Pena would try and get things going for VSU in the top of the second, as he hit a one-out double to right center but two straight fly outs would strand him at second. Booth ran into trouble in the bottom half, as a throwing error at third followed by a failed pickoff put a runner at third with one out. Booth would then strike a batter out and force a flyout to get out of the jam.
 
The Tars would open the bottom of the third with a solo home run to extend the lead to 3-0. Back to back singles had runners at the corners with no one out, as a sacrifice fly brought one home before Booth would force two more pop flys as the Blazers were trailing 4-0 through three.
 
VSU started to get things rolling in the top of the fourth, as the Blazers had runners at first and second with two outs for senior Marcos Sevillano, who rolled into a fielder's choice to strand two runners on base. For the day, Valdosta State would leave ten runners on base for the afternoon. RC would grow the lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth on as an errant throw by the third baseman with two outs would plate a run.
 
Rollins would go to the bullpen in the top of the fifth, as Valdosta State would jump on the fresh arm with two runs as senior Pedro Moreno tripled into right center before being from home by senior Jovanni Canegitta. The Tars would steal those two runs in the bottom half, as Corey Zientek hit a two-run homer with no one out to make it 7-2 as head coach Jan Weisberg ended Hunter Booth's day.
 
Stowe led things off with a double in the top of the sixth before being brought home by two straight groundouts in the top half as the Blazers trailed 7-3 with nine outs remaining.
 
In the top of the seventh, Jovanni Canegitta hit a one-out double down the left field line before two straight walks to Stowe and Pena loaded the bags with one out for DJ Banks. On an 0-1 count, Banks singled up the middle to bring home Stowe and Canegitta, but an errant throw by the cutoff man brought home Pena and placed Banks on third with one gone. Marcos Sevillano was able to poke a ball into right to bring home Banks and tie things up at seven in the seventh. Fuller kept rolling in the bottom of the seventh, as he retired the Tars in order to keep things all square.
 
Valdosta State was given their chance in the top of the ninth, as Stowe drew a six-pitch walk but was thrown out advancing to third after Pena singled to left center for the first out. Banks then drew a walk to put a runner in scoring position, but VSU wasn't able to capitalize heading to the bottom of the ninth.
 
In his second inning of relief, Nick Ferrara walked the first batter on four pitches before Mason Wilson would jump on the first pitch he saw to send a ball over the left field wall to give the Tars a 9-7 win.