VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers ran their winning streak to five games as they swept the Mississippi College Choctaws by winning game two 3-2 and game three 10-6. With the two wins, the Blazers sit alone in second place with West Florida dropping two out of three versus Auburn Montgomery.
 
In game one, it was back to back home runs from Orlando Pena (14) and Hunter Stowe (7) in the bottom of the sixth that propelled VSU to a 3-2 victory. Hunter Booth was lights out yet again, as he went 8.0 innings on 93 pitches and allowed a total of two runs as MC scored two in the top of the first but were held scoreless the rest of the way with Ryan Brown earning his seventh save of the year in the top of the ninth.
 
In game two, the Blazers exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth when the game was tied at 2-2 as they batted around and played smart baseball. Drake LaRoche picked up his team leading sixth win of the season as he logged 5.0 innings of work and allowed two runs with one of them being earned in the 10-6 victory.
 
Up next, the Blazers hit the road to play reigning national champions and top ranked Tampa in Tampa, Fla. on Tuesday, Apr. 1 at 5 p.m.
 
GAME ONE – MC: 2 VSU: 3
The Choctaws struck first in the top of the first as JT Vance lifted a two-run shot into left field with two outs as MC led 2-0 heading to the bottom of the first. DJ Banks doubled with one away in the bottom half but was left stranded as Mississippi College was leading 2-0 through one.
 
Mississippi College was threatening in the top of the second until Tyler Jacobson was caught stealing at third as Carson Russell gunned him down for the final out of the inning.
 
Hunter Booth started to whizz through the Choctaw order as he was through four innings on 40 pitches while striking out two as he was giving the Blazer dugout some energy while sitting the final batter down on strikes in the top of the fourth. With one down in the bottom of the fourth, Hunter Stowe doubled off the MC third baseman's glove as he was also left stranded as VSU was 0-4 with runners in scoring position as they trailed 2-0 through four.
 
After retiring the first two in the top of the fifth, Booth ran into trouble as he allowed a single and hit a batter with MC's best hitter in Bryce LaRocca stepping up to the plate. After running the count full, Booth forced a hard line drive to Easton Hood in right to keep the 2-0 deficit intact. The Blazers would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Carson Russell was hit by a pitch with one out and hustled to third on a wild pitch before Pedro Moreno grounded out to second to plate Russell as Valdosta State trailed 2-1 through five.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Orlando Pena jumped ahead on MC starter Caleb Peterson on a 3-1 count and nuked his 14^th home run of the year on a no doubt shot to tie it up at 2-2. The very next batter, Hunter Stowe brought the crowd to their feet on a homer into left center as all of a sudden, the Blazers were leading 3-2 as they knocked the Mississippi College starter out of the game.
 
Booth used the Blazer momentum to his advantage as he cruised through the top of the seventh as he was sitting at 84 pitches with six outs remaining.
 
Pedro Moreno opened the top of the eighth with a diving catch to his right at shortstop for the first out. Booth caught the next batter out in front as he popped out to Raynel Ortiz at first for out number two. After running the count full, Choctaw slugger Korey Cooper hit a high fly ball to Marcos Sevillano at the warning track in left, who settled under it for the third out of the top of the eighth inning.
 
Closer Ryan Brown took the hill in the top of the ninth with the Blazers clinging onto a 3-2 lead. JT Vance greeted the southpaw with a singled into right center and advanced on the next pitch as Bryce Capobianco dropped a sacrifice bunt down for the first out. Brown would set down the next hitter on three straight off-speed pitches for the second out. The very next pitch, Brown rolled a grounder to Moreno at short, who fired it over to Pena at third where he tagged the runner for the third and final out as VSU took game one 3-2.
 
GAME TWO - MC: 6  VSU: 10
Mississippi College struck in the first inning again as an error followed by a double brought a run around to score as MC took a 1-0 lead. Choctaw starter Blake Gollott made quick work of the Blazers in the bottom of the first as he retired them in order to hold the 1-0 lead through one inning of play.
 
Hunter Stowe kicked off the bottom of the second with his sixth double of the season as Sevillano followed that by drawing a five pitch walk. After a failed bunt attempted nabbed the lead runner at third. Cole Steinmetz would draw a walk on five pitches to load the bases with one out. Eljaiek wouldn't lift the bat off his shoulders as he looked a four straight balls with Sevillano touching home to tie it at one. Will Beckham stepped up and did the exact same thing as the Blazers took a 2-1 lead and were still threatening. MC would go to the bullpen as Gabe Garner tried to come in a clean up Gollott's mess. With the count even at 1-1, Garner rolled a 6-3 double play to prevent any more damage as VSU took a 2-1 lead through two.
 
MC's Logan Shurden would double into right center in the top of the fourth to bring home Bryce Capobianco with one away as things were back to even at 2-2. Drake LaRoche would fan Alex Johnson on a nasty breaking ball in the dirt before forcing a weak ground ball for the final out of the top of the fourth in a 2-2 game. Marcos Sevillano drew a walk to open the bottom half and after battling through a ten plus pitch at bat, Cole Steinmetz doubled to left to bring Sevillano home as VSU led, 3-2. Eljaiek would single on a chopper to short as both him and Steinmetz swiped second and third a few pitches later. After not registering an at bat in nearly a month, Andres Natera drew a walk to load the bases with one away as VSU looked to blow the game open with the order turning back over for a third time as MC went to bullpen for a second time in game three. On the first pitch, Pedro Moreno was grazed on an inside fastball as another run scored. A pitch later, Coby Gollot threw another bad pitch as it got away from the catcher with the lead growing to 5-2. Orlando Pena did what he has done all year as he drove in two more on a chopper to right as the lead ballooned to 7-2. Batting for the second time in the inning, Marcos Sevillano poked a ball into left center as one more scored with the lead at 8-2. Coming into the weekend leading the league in doubles, Easton Hood ripped one into right center as it was 10-2 through four with the Blazers scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Mississippi College jumped all over the Valdosta State bullpen in the top of the sixth as they scored four quick runs on two home runs and a double as the Blazers led 10-6 through six.
 
After recording the final out in the top of the sixth, Trey Jackson trotted out for the final three outs in the top of the seventh. After allowing two hard hits, Jackson rolled yet another double play as the Blazers swept the Choctaws with a 10-6 win in game three.