VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers were swept by the West Florida Argonauts in the doubleheader on Saturday, as they dropped the series. The Blazers finished the regular season with an overall record of 29-19 while going 22-9 in the GSC, finishing second.
 
Second place is VSU's best finish since 2022, when they finished second en route to an appearance in the NCAA South Regional. The Blazers will now have their eyes set on the GSC Championship, which will start on Friday, May 2 in Oxford, Ala. with a matchup TBD.
 
The Blazers dropped game one 7-4 and game two 6-4 as they had many chances but came up just short. Orlando Pena hit his 21^st home run of the season as he finished the regular season with the GSC crown in homers and RBI with 78.
 
GAME ONE: UWF – 7 VSU – 4
Things started off wonky for West Florida in game one, as leadoff hitter Alex Urias smoked a ball into the corner and reached third but missed second base, as DJ Banks stepped on second for the first out. Hunter Booth would punch out the next hitter before Orlando Pena made a diving stop and throw at third to end the top of the first. Valdosta State was threatening in the bottom of the first as Banks singled to second as Hunter Stowe was hit by the pitch before Jovanni Canegitta was walked to load the bases, but West Florida starter Kae Manderscheid forced a chopper to second to retire the threat as the score remained 0-0.
 
The Blazers would strike first in the bottom of the third as Pedro Moreno would single to open things up and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt from the pitcher. With the infield moved in, Orlando Pena smoked a ball past the third baseman for his 76^th RBI of the season as it was 1-0. Three pitches later, Hunter Stowe laced a ball into the left field corner as Pena was hustling the whole way and slid home headfirst to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
West Florida came back with back to back singles in the top of the fourth to put pressure on Booth. A third consecutive hit would put the Argos on the board as Brantley Willis plated Easterbrook with no one out. West Florida dropped down a sacrifice bunt but an errant throw by the catcher sailed into right field as two runs came home, and Tanner Taylor trotted into third with no one out. A bloop single from Ben Maskin made it 4-2 in favor of UWF. A bloop single into center with one out from leadoff hitter Alex Urias grew the lead to 5-2. Booth would battle back to strikeout the second batter of the inning. After going ahead in the count, UWF would continue to pour it on as a single into left brought home another run to run Booth out of the game with the Blazers trailing 6-2.
 
UWF starter Kade Manderschied was through five innings as he had allowed seven hits and one walk while fanning three on 72 pitches.
 
After a clean top of the eighth inning from Jaden Paradoa, VSU showed life as Pena reached on an error and Hunter Stowe hit his second double of the afternoon on a double into right center as UWF finally pulled Manderschied after seven strong innings of work. The Blazers would score two as Jovanni Canegitta and Cole Steinmetz each grounded out as West Florida was leading 7-4 heading to the ninth.
 
After Nick Ferrara retired the side in the top of the ninth, West Florida brought in Brantley Willis to try and close Valdosta State out. Pedro Moreno would get plunked with one out, but Valdosta State couldn't get anything else going as West Florida took game two of the series, 7-4.
 
 
 
GAME TWO: UWF – 6 VSU – 4
Drake LaRoche had the nod in the rubber match game and retired the top of the first on eight pitches while allowing one base knock. DJ Banks singled into right with one out to bring up Orlando Pena, who was quickly down 0-2 until he went dead center on a ball that kept carrying and was just out of reach from the UWF centerfielder as the two-run shot put VSU up 2-0 after one.
 
West Florida hit a bloop single to open things up but was quickly erased as LaRoche rolled a 5-4-3 double play that was ended by a beautiful pick at first base from Andres Natera as LaRoche was through two innings on 13 pitches.
 
West Florida opened the top of the third with a leadoff double from Dom Presto to put a runner in scoring position. A bunt single from Zach Stokes placed the tying run at first base with no outs. A fielder's choice would erase the runner at second but not before a run scored to make it 1-2. The Argos would take the lead at 3-2 as Jadon Fryman homered into left. Two more singles and a passed ball brought home one more run as UWF had doubled up VSU at 4-2.
 
Hunter Stowe would cut the Blazer deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth on a solo shot into left center on a full count as VSU was trailing 4-3 through four innings of play.
 
Drake LaRoche had recovered since his rough top of the third as he had since tossed two shutout innings to keep the momentum on VSU's side. Easton Hood drew a walk to open the bottom of the fifth and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Will Beckham. On a 3-1 count, Moreno hit a sinking liner into right that was caught on a sliding catch from right fielder Zach Stokes for the second out. Jacob Heath would escape the jam with another liner into right that found a glove as VSU trailed 4-3 through five.
 
Keaton Fuller took over in the top of the sixth and loaded the bases with two outs on a single and two walks as the Argos looked to add insurance. After falling behind 1-0. Fuller would get the UWF leadoff hitter to swing under a pitch as he lifted an easy fly ball to Sevillano in left to end the threat with the score still at 4-3. Stowe would single into left with one out to put the tying run on base with four outs left. Andres Natera would roll a chopper up the middle with two away as the tying run was in scoring position. Jacob Heath would strike out Sevillano for the final out the inning with the Argos clinging onto dear life.
 
The Argos would gain some insurance in the top of the seventh as Brett Rowell hit a two-run shot to make it 6-3 as the Blazers had one more chance with UWF closer Brantley Willis took the mound for the third consecutive game. On the first pitch from Willis, Easton Hood smoked a solo shot into right field for his sixth homer of the year to make it 6-4. Following a flyout to center for the first out, Pedro Moreno was hit by the pitch to put a runner on. Steinmetz would fly out to right for the second out as Orlando Pena would single off the shortstops glove to put two on and two out. The UWF closer would set down the final VSU hitter on strikes as the Argos took the game and the series, 6-4.