VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers dropped game one of weekend series by a final of 4-2 against the Montevallo Falcons. VSU dropped to 15-13 overall and 10-5 in the GSC while UM improved to 15-13 and 8-8 in the GSC.
 
Falcon starter Adiel Melendez carved the Blazers up as the southpaw went 7.1 innings and struck out ten hitters and surrendered seven hits on 114 pitches as he picked up his sixth win of the year. Zac Dodson was credited with the loss as the right went 6.0 innings on 97 pitches and surrendered all four runs while striking out four.
 
Montevallo outhit Valdosta State eight to seven as they hit back to back home runs in the top of the sixth to retake the lead at 4-2 and never look back. The Blazers had their opportunities to inch back into the game as Easton Hood and DJ Banks leadoff the bottom of the seventh and eighth inning with doubles but were both left stranded. With Banks hit, he has extended his on base streak to a perfect 28 games thus far.
 
Games two and three are tomorrow as first pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m. with game three to follow shortly after.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Zac Dodson forced an easy fly ball for the first out in the top of the first. A hard ground ball up the middle by McGwire Turner placed a runner on but was quickly erased as Dodon rolled a 6-4-3 double play for a clean top half. Montevallo ace Adiel Melendez went straight to work in the bottom of the first as he struck out the side with the score sitting at 0-0.
 
Montevallo scored in the top of the third as the leadoff hitter Dominic Maldet reach on a chopper to third and later scored on clutch two out hitting from McGuire Turner as the dropped a ball into left as it was now 1-0. In the bottom of the third, Easton Hood singled up the gut that was followed by a perfect bunt single from Farid Eljaiek to put pressure on the Falcons. Will Beckham dropped a sacrifice bunt to place runners on second and third as the order turned back over. Pedro Moreno drove in a run to the second baseman that was then misplayed as both Hood and Eljaiek scored to put the Blazers up 2-1 through three innings.
 
After allowing yet another leadoff hit in the top of the fourth, Doddy rolled his second 6-4-3 double play of the evening as his defense was playing strong behind him through three and a half innings. Melendez locked back in for Montevallo as he retired Valdosta State in order with the Blazers leading 2-1.
 
 Montevallo would retake the lead in the top of the sixth as Connor Crowson hit his tenth home run off the year to lead the GSC on a two run shot. After jumping ahead 0-2 on the next batter, Dodson allowed his second straight home run as Evan Radford launched one into left center to extend the lead to 4-2 heading to the bottom of the sixth. DJ Banks reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the sixth before Marcos Sevillano and Orlando Pena both singled to left to load the bases with one out. Melendez went right back to work as he struck out the next batter on three pitches before forcing a deep flyout to center field to retire the VSU threat as UM led 4-2 through six.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Easton Hood hit led things off with his 11^th double of the season off the wall in left. Eljaiek would groundout to short to advance Hood to third, but Melendez would strikeout the next two batters to tally and even ten punchouts on the night as the runner was stranded at third.
 
Trey Jackson trotted out for his second inning of work in the top of the eighth inning and retired the side with minimal damage as the score stayed 4-2. DJ banks opened the bottom of the inning with a slicing ground rule double into right. After forcing a flyout to left for the first out, UM starter Aidel Melendez was taken out after 7.1 innings and 114 pitches while holding the lead. Closer Garrett Sloa entered in relief and retired the first batter he faced on three straight pitches for the second out. Sloa would retire the last batter on a weak dribbler back to him as he escaped the jam with just three outs left.
 
After a perfect top of the ninth from the Blazers, the Falcons responded with a perfect 1-2-3 inning of their own as they took game one by a final of 4-2.