VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Blazers picked up their second consecutive win with a 10-4 victory over the Columbus State Cougars on Tuesday evening. VSU improved to 15-12 while CSU dropped to 10-14 as Valdosta State avenged their extra inning loss in Columbus from earlier this year.
 
Dewey Brock picked up his second win in his second consecutive start as he finished with a line of 5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, and 3 K on 74 pitches. Despite not recording a hit, Marcos Sevillano drove in three runners on sacrifice hits and walks and he found ways to produce all night. After CSU starter Joey Gill breezed through the first two innings on 19 pitches, the Cougars decided to throw in Trenton Burnett, who only went 0.1 innings and hit two batters and walking four as the Blazers scored four in the bottom of the second. On the evening, VSU drew ten HBP/BB as they capitalized on only seven hits to CSU's 12.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After an error in the bottom of the first with one away, Dewey Brock rolled a 4-6-3 double play to retire the side. Pedro Moreno opened the bottom half of the inning with a bloop single into left but the Cougars rolled their own 4-6-3 double play as the score remained 0-0.
 
After both pitcher were dueling, Columbus State elected to go to the bullpen and brought in righty Trenten Burnett, who hit two batters and walked one to load the bases for DJ Banks, who drew a four pitch walk to bring home Easton Hood as VSU jumped ahead 1-0. DJ Banks would ground out to second to bring home another with a wild pitch plating another run to make it 3-0. On a 2-2 count with runners on the corners, Hunter Stowe singled past the diving shortstop as it was 4-0 through three innings of play.
 
Dewey Brock continued to stay dialed in in the top of the fourth but ran into trouble he walked a batter with runners at the corners with two down. Brock went straight to battle, striking out the final batter on three pitches as he had allowed one hit through four innings with no runs allowed on 59 pitches.
 
Trey Jackson trotted to the mound in the top of the sixth in relief for Brock as he looked to continue to churn through the order. After running the count even at 2-2, CSU catcher Ian King singled up the middle to open the top half. Another single up the gut that placed runners on the corner with no one out. After running the count full, Jackson sat the first batter down on strikes. Jackson would rally again as he jumped ahead 1-2 and struck the second batter out as runners remained on the corners with two away. Jackson continued to roll as he struck out the final batter looking to escape the jam as VSU still led 4-0. Back to back singles from Easton Hood and Farid Eljaiek opened the bottom the bottom half of the inning. Pedro Moreno lasered a ball pas the shortstop to bring one home before Eljaiek crossed home on a wild pitch as it was 6-0 with no one out.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Cougars got on the board with a solo home run and four straight singles as the Blazers led 7-2 with the bases juiced and one away. A single and a sacrifice fly would make it a three run game as a popout to Moreno at short ended the run with VSU up 7-4 heading to the seventh inning stretch.
 
After a quiet bottom of the seventh, Preston Wetherell took the hill in the top of the eighth and went a quick 1-2-3 to regain the Blazer momentum. Farid Eljaiek opened the bottom of the eighth with a single into left on a full count as Valdosta State looked for some insurance runs. A bunt sacrifice bunt turned poorly for the Cougars as the sun was right in the first baseman's face as the throw went all the way to right as Eljaiek scored to make it 8-4. A double from DJ Banks brought Beckham around to as the lead was back to five heading to the topo of the ninth.
 
Ryan Brown took the mound in the top of the ninth and allowed two straight single before he struck the next batter out for the first out. Down in the count 2-1, Brown forced a bloop fly ball into center that was tracked down by Eljaiek on the run for the second out. Brown would make light work of the final hitter as a grounder to Raynel Ortiz at first secured the win.
 
Valdosta State will continue the homestand as Montevallo will come to town for a three games series starting on Friday night at 5 p.m. with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 22.