VALDOSTA, Ga. – After the Blazers were leading 8-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Argonauts rallied for 11 unanswered runs the rest of the way as West Florida came out with a 15-8 win. Valdosta State looks to keep their season alive as they play the winner of Mississippi College and Delta State tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. ET in the loser's bracket.
 
Valdosta State was cruising as they held a 6-2 lead through three innings as the offense came to play early. Following two more runs from VSU in the top of the fifth, UWF went to Dalton Neuschwander out of the pen where he dominated as he logged 5.0 innings of work and allowed one hit and zero runs the rest of the way. Hunter Stowe continued his dominance in the GSC Championship as the DH went 3-5 at the plate with two doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI as he is showing why he was named to the All-Conference Second Team. Right behind him in the order, Jovanni Canegitta went 2-2 at the dish with two runs scored and two walks drawn as he reached base in every at bat. On the mound, Zac Dodson went 5.0 innings and allowed seven earned the long ball cost the Blazers at the end of the day with Dodson allowing three.
 
For West Florida, leadoff hitter Alex Urias went 4-5 at the leadoff spot with two doubles and three runs scored. Catcher Brett Rowell was colossal as he went 3-6 at the dish with one home run and six RBI while scoring three runs. Shortstop Dom Presto did it all as he was masterful in the field and drove in four on two hits including a two run shot in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Valdosta State is now fighting for their life as they need a miraculous run to try and keep their postseason hopes alive with a morning game tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
West Florida starter Grant Adams took the hill against Valdosta State and retired the first batter until DJ Banks laced a ball back up the middle for the first baserunner of the day. Following a line out to shortstop from Pena, Hunter Stowe battled the count full and got a ball he couldn't miss and took it deep to center field that was just out of reach as Banks hustled home to make it 1-0. Jovanni Canegitta kept the momentum going with a liner into left as the throw home was off the mark as the Blazers led 2-0 heading to the bottom of the first. GSC Freshman of the Year Alex Urias quickly singled up the middle until Jadon Fryman tied things up with a two run shot into left as it was back to even at 2-2. Dodson battled back as he struck out the next hitter on a beautiful breaking ball before two popouts ended the first inning.
 
Marcos Sevillano quickly jumped on the first pitch he saw in the top of the second and hit his first home run of the season into right as VSU retook the lead at 3-2. After UWF reached on an error and wild pitch moved the runner to second with one out as Dodson forced two balls to first to retire the side with a 3-2 lead through two.
 
The Blazers blitzed the West Florida starter in the top of the third as DJ Banks, Orlando Pena, and Hunter Stowe all hit doubles into the gaps as the lead grew to 5-2 in the top of the third with the Argos pulling their starter with no one out. The top West Florida arm came in as it didn't make a difference as Jovanni Canegitta jumped on the fresh arm with a single into right to grow the lead to 6-2 as Stowe crossed home plate.
 
After it looked as if Dodson was settling in until a bloop and a blast in the bottom of the fourth cut into the VSU lead as the Blazers were leading 6-4 through four innings as Dodson had recorded four strikeouts while allowing five hits on 65 pitches.
 
Orlando Pena and Hunter Stowe opened the top of the fifth with back to back singles as West Florida coach Mike Jeffcoat took a mound visit. Following the mound visit, Canegitta drew a four pitch walk as the Argos elected to then go to their bullpen. Jeffcoat brought in Argo ace Dalton Neuschwander to try and clean things up. The All-GSC first teamer came in and struck out the first batter on three pitches for the first out of the inning. After running the count full, Marcos Sevillano drew a walk to bring home Pena and extend the lead to 7-4. After falling behind in the count 0-2, Easton Hood battled the count to 2-2 and hit a short chopper to short for a groundout but not before another run scored as it was 8-4 heading to the bottom of the fifth. Dodson had a rough bottom of the fifth as he allowed a leadoff double and walked a batter before running the count to 3-1 to the UWF cleanup hitter Brett Rowell who proceeded to nuke a three run shot into right as it was 8-7 in favor of VSU.
 
Following a 1-2-3 top of the third from UWF ace Neuschwander, head coach Jan Weisberg elected to bring in Anthony Martens out of the bullpen, who retired the side in 11 pitches as the lead still sat at 8-7.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Martens walked the leadoff hitter before a single into right placed runners at the corners with no one out as UWF slugger Brett Rowell stepped up to the plate with Trent Lewis entering into the game for VSU. On a 3-1 count, Lewis forced a dribbler to second that was bobbled as a run scored and everyone was safe as it was all tied up at 8-8 and no one out. Lewis would come back and strikeout two more batters before loading the bases with two outs. After going ahead 0-2 in the count, West Florida would take the lead for the first time of the day with a single up the middle from Dom Presto to make it 10-8 through seven.
 
Neuschwander rolled in the top of the eighth as Easton Hood singled to start things but was immediately erased on a 4-6-3 double play. Pedro Moreno put a charge into one but a leaping grab by UWF centerfielder Jadon Fryman took an extra base hit away as the Argos were leading 10-8 and were three outs away.
 
Things would get away from the Blazers in the bottom of the eighth as the Argos scored five runs to give them a seven run cushion at 15-8 heading to the final frame. Neuschwander continued to dominate, as he retired the side quickly as West Florida won 15-8.