VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers split the final two games of the series versus the Montevallo Falcons as UM won the weekend series. VSU finished the weekend with a 16-14 record while being 11-6 in the GSC while UM heads home with a 16-14 record while being 9-9 in GSC play.
Orlando Pena mashed two home runs in the second game of the doubleheader and drove in six in as he retook the league lead in home runs as he now has 11 on the season with a total of 41 RBI which is also first in the GSC.
Drake LaRoche picked up his team leading fifth win as he went 5.0 innings and allowed one run on four hits on just 62 pitches.
Pedro Moreno went 2-3 at the leadoff spot as he drove in three and scored a run as VSU put up eight runs in the fourth inning.
In game one today, VSU could never get the big hit as they stranded 14 runners on base while only scoring one run in the 2-1 loss.
Hunter Booth was fantastic as he went 8.0 innings and allowed two runs while giving up no walks and striking out four as the offense didn't back him up.
Marcos Sevillano went 2-2 in game one while drawing two walks.
Pedro Moreno was the only other Blazer to tally two hits as the bats started off quiet.
Valdosta State will continue to host at home as they welcome Georgia College on Tuesday, Mar. 25 at 5 p.m. before playing host to Mississippi College next weekend for a big GSC series.
GAME ONE: Montevallo – 2 Valdosta State - 1
Hunter Booth made quick work of the Falcons as he retired the side in six pitches thanks to a perfect 4-6-3 double play followed by a headfirst catch in center from
Farid Eljaiek to end the top of the first.
DJ Banks reached on an errant throw by the Falcon shortstop and was moved to second on a single to left from
Marcos Sevillano with one away. UM starter Gino Cozzi settled in as he retired to next two VSU hitters as the score remained. 0-0 through one.
Booth ran into trouble in the top of the second as back to back two out singles placed runners at the corners, but Booth forced a lazy fly ball into left for the third and final out of the top half. Valdosta State was starting to barrel up Montevallo's starter in the bottom half but a hard grounder and line drive right to center fielder resulted in no runs in the bottom of the second.
The Falcons were threatening early in the top of the fourth as Evan Radford doubled to left on the first pitch he saw. Radford advanced to third on a groundout as
Pedro Moreno made a strong throw at shortstop for the first out. Montevallo would strike first on a sacrifice fly to center from Luke Mitchell as it was 1-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth. Cozzi mowed through the bottom of the order as he retired the 7-8-9 hitters in order.
After another clean inning from Booth, Cozzi retired the first two hitters until VSU sparked a two out rally on a walk from Sevillano and a single by
Orlando Pena until
Hunter Stowe drew a four pitch walk. UM elected to go to the bullpen and bring in righty Mason Creacy with the bases loaded. After falling behind in the count 3-0 Creacy tossed a strike before forcing a soft dribbler right back to him as he escaped the jam in the bottom of the fifth with the lead still at 1-0.
Falcon second baseman McGwire Turner singled to open the top of the sixth and was moved to third with one out on a double by Evan Radford. Montevallo would score another run as a groundout to Banks at second doubled the lead to 2-0 as Booth was through six innings on 70 pitches. Eljaiek reached on a one out single but was thrown out trying to steal second on a strike em out thrown to retire the threat.
After a perfect top of the seventh from starter
Hunter Booth,
Pedro Moreno singled to left on a 0-2 count to put the pressure on Montevallo. Moreno was caught stealing but Banks drew a walk with one out as a runner was on. Sevillano singled to left was the tying run was on base with one out. Pena tallied the second out as he lifted a ball deep into left center that was tracked down for the second out. After a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Montevallo reliever Mason Creacy got the last batter out on strikes as they escaped yet another jam in the bottom of the seventh.
Booth ran into trouble in the top of the eighth as he allowed a two out double to Connor Crowson but came back with a beautiful off-speed pitch to catch the final batter looking in the top of the eighth.
Raynel Ortiz reached second to open the bottom half on a dropped fly ball in left. Eljaiek battled back to draw a walk after falling down 0-2 with one away. After
Carson Russell jumped ahead 2-0 in the count, Montevallo went to their closer to try and escape the jam. After running the count full, Russell flied out to right but was doubled up as the Blazers tried to advance to second on the tag with the score still at 2-0 through eight.
Preston Wetherell took over in the top of the ninth and went a perfect 1-2-3 to give the Blazer bats one more chance.
Pedro Moreno singled up the gut on a 1-2 count to attempt to jumpstart the offense. Banks grounded out to the pitcher for the first out as Moreno advanced to second on the play. Down in the count 1-2, Sevillano was hit by the pitch to put the tying run on first. A deep flyout from Pena advanced the runner to third who then raced home on a wild pitch with two down.
Hunter Stowe drew a walk to place runners on first and second with two out. UM closer Garrett Sloa would fan the final VSU batter as they took game one 2-1.
GAME TWO: Montevallo – 1 Valdosta State – 12
For the third consecutive game, the Blazers turned a double play in the top of the first as they rolled at 4-6-3 double play to negate the Falcon hit.
DJ Banks drew a one out walk in the bottom of the first. Following a VSU groundout that advanced Banks to second,
Orlando Pena took advantage of the lefty pitcher with a towering two run shot to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead.
The Falcons stole a run back with a solo shot into right center from right fielder Evan Radford to lead things off. A single followed by a bunt placed runners at first and second but
Orlando Pena made a heads up play to gun the runner down at second as LaRoche escaped the inning with only one run allowed.
Farid Eljaiek started things off in the bottom of the second with a triple as the center fielder laid out but couldn't a glove on it as he was 90 feet away with no one out. Montevallo's Matthew Bullard would come back with three strikeouts to leave the runner stranded at third.
After things got quiet, Valdosta State explode in the bottom of the fourth as a sacrifice bunt was thrown away by the pitcher as Eljaiek raced home with
Will Beckham reaching third on the throw into right field.
Pedro Moreno would single up the middle to plate Beckham as the lead grew to 4-1 with the Falcons pulling their starter. Sevillano drew a walk to bring up Pena again, who launched his second home run of the game with a three run blast to grow the lead to 7-1. A single from Stowe Followed by a walk brought up
Cole Steinmetz who singled up middle to make it 8-1.
Pedro Moreno would drive in the last two runners of the inning as Moreno singled up the middle yet again to make it 10-1 through four.
The Valdosta State pitching held steady as the Blazers would pull through with a 12-1 win in the final game.
