MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Valdosta State Blazers won their sixth straight game on Saturday afternoon as they defeated the Christian Brothers Buccaneers by a final of 9-5 heading into the final week of regular season play. Valdosta State improved to 28-17 overall and 21-8 in GSC play as they sit 1.5 games ahead of West Florida for the two seed in the GSC.
 
Orlando Pena went 2-3 at the dish with three runs scored as he got VSU in the scoring column in the top of the first with a two RBI double to open the scoring. Andres Natera was the player of the game as the first basemen went 2-2 at the plate with a home two run home run for his third of the year as he was a major spark plug off the bench. Anthony Martens would pick up his second win of the year as he logged 2.1 innings of relief and allowed one run while Ryan Brown picked up his seventh save on a six our save while allowing one hit.
 
Valdosta State will conclude the regular season at home, as they host Saint Leo on Tuesday Apr. 22 at 5 p.m. before welcoming West Florida to town for a vital GSC series to wrap things up prior to the GSC Tournament.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Pedro Moreno drew a walk that was followed up by a line drive single into left by DJ Banks as Valdosta State had runners on early. Orlando Pena drove in his 70^th and 71^st runners of the year as he doubled into right center field to give VSU a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. After Drake LaRoche retired the first batter on a fly ball to right, CBU battled back with back to back singles to put two on with one out. After forcing a flyout for out number two, Buccaneer hitter Seth Brown hit a hard hit ball right to Marcos Sevillano into left as the Blazers escaped the first with a 2-0 lead intact.
 
After the Blazer bats went quiet, the Bucs would tack on a run in the bottom of the bottom of the third as Jalen Smith continued to lead the team in RBI as he singled to bring home a run as VSU was still leading 2-1.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, LaRoche retired the first batter, but CBU came back yet again as they put together two straight singles to put the tying run in scoring position. Smith would step up looking to tie things up, but he would lineout to Sevillano in left for the second out. Christian Brothers would take the lead as Seth Brown doubled home two as CBU took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Following a pitching change, CBU would single again to bring home Brown as they led 4-2 through five.
Following a strikeout to open the top of the sixth, Pena singled as Hunter Stowe drew a walk to put the tying run on base. Andres Natera pinch hit and singled to bring home Pena as VSU still trailed 4-3. Raynel Ortiz continued to torment the Bucs as he poked through to tie things up at 4-4. Cole Steinmetz would tally the third straight hit as the Blazers jumped out to a 5-4 lead.
 
VSU would pad the lead to 7-4 as Hunter Stowe and Natera each drove in a run. CBU would take one back in the bottom of the seventh as Jalen Smith hit his ninth home run of the year on a solo shot.
 
In the top of the ninth, Andres Natera hit his third home run of the season on a two run shot as Pena scored his third run of the season to give the Blazers some insurance as they were now up 9-5. In the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Brown came in for a non-save situation and did the same thing as yesterday, as he retired the side on order to give VSU a 9-5 win.