VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers downed the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans by a final of 6-2 at Billy Grant Field on Friday night. VSU improved to 3-8 overall and 2-1 in the GSC while TNU dropped to 4-6 and 2-2 in the GSC.
 
Senior Zac Dodson picked up his second win of the season as he lowered his ERA to 3.27 after tonight's game. Doddy went six strong innings while allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out four on 107 pitches. Out of relief, fellow senior Anthony Martens picked up his first save of the year and he logged three innings of work while surrendering two hits and striking out three.
 
At the dish, senior Orlando Pena smacked his first home run of the year in the bottom of the third while driving in a total of three runs on two hits and scoring two. Marcos Sevillano continued to raise his average as he also went 2-4 at the plate while driving in a run as he also hit his team leading fourth double.
 
The Trojans left a total of ten runners on base as TNU had plenty of opportunities to strike but the duo of Dodson/Martens shut them down when it mattered most. Valdosta State outhit Trevecca Nazarene ten to nine with most of those hits coming in the first few innings as they scored five runs through three innings of play.
 
Both teams are back at it again tomorrow in a doubleheader as first pitch is slated for 1 p.m..
 
How it Happened:
 
After going down in the count 2-0, Zac "Doddy" Dodson came back to get the first back looking on strikes for the first out of the game. Dodson would surrender a two out hit before forcing a groundout right back to him to retire the Trojans in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, DJ Banks laced a single into right field on a full count before Jovanni Canegitta singled to right on the next pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. With two away, Orlando Pena lifted a ball over the right fielder's head to plate Banks and Canegitta to make it 2-0. It didn't stop there as Marcos Sevillano joined the fun with a laser up the middle as VSU led 3-0 after one.
 
The bats continued to stay hot, as three straight singles from Will Beckham, Pedro Moreno, and DJ Banks plated a run and extended the lead to 4-0 through two innings to play.
 
Following a single and a stolen base to open the top of the third, a one out error in right placed runners at the corners with one down as trouble was brewing. Dodson retired the second batter of the inning on a heater as the batter was sat down swinging. On a 2-2 count with two down, Dodson retired the TNU cleanup hitter on a chopper top third to escape the inning unscathed, as VSU was up 4-0. In the bottom of the third, Orlando Pena was thrown a hanging breaking ball and took advantage, launching a solo shot into left for his first homer of the year to grow the Blazer lead to 5-0.
 
Doddy continued to roll, as he was through four innings of shutout baseball as VSU was leading TNU 5-0. Dodson had allowed three hits and one walk on 66 pitches with 43 of those for strikes while fanning two.
 
Dodson was once again tasked with escaping a jam in the top of the fifth, as a leadoff double followed by a groundout had runners in scoring position early. An error followed by a walk loaded the bases for cleanup hitter Cole McCallum, who drew a bases loaded walk to bring home the first Trojan run as they trailed 5-1. A sacrifice fly drove in the second run of the innings before Doddy forced a soft ground ball at first as TNU put two runs on the board with VSU up 5-2 through five innings.
 
Following a one out single in the top of the sixth, catcher Will Beckham caught the Trojan baserunner stealing on a strike to second base for the second out. Back to back weak singles from Trevecca Nazarene put Dodson is yet another pickle. After going down 2-0 in the count, Dodson was able to get out of the inning on a fly ball to Canegitta in center to end the threat.
 
Trevecca Nazarene went to their bullpen in the bottom of the sixth, as they immediately hit Natera to put a runner on base. A sacrifice bunt from Raynel Ortiz followed by a sacrifice fly brought Natera around to score as Valdosta State extended the lead to 6-2 through six innings.
 
Head coach Jan Weisberg elected to go to the bullpen in the top of the seventh as he went to right hander Anthony Martens, who came in with a flamethrower as he retired the 4-5-6 hitter in order while striking out one in the top of the seventh.
 
Martens was sent out to pitch again in the top of the eighth, as he allowed a leadoff double to Brady Maciak. Martens would dial it in, as he would strike the next batter out followed by a flyout to left before catching the no. nine hitter swinging as VSU continued to lead 6-2 through seven and a half innings. Marcos Sevillano smacked a one out double that sliced into the left field corner as the Blazers tried to add some insurance. Natera drew a five-pitch walk to place runners at first and second with one away. A double play on a runner's obstruction ended the VSU threat as they were three outs away from a win.
 
TNU was swinging early in the top of the ninth as they singled on the first pitch they saw to put a runner on base. As Martens rolled a 6-4-3 double play that was called on runner's interference as there were two away. Martens would close the night out on a routine fly ball to right as VSU secured the 6-2 victory.