VALDOSTA —
VALDOSTA — Kelvin Clark hit three home runs and Eddie Sipple pitched seven shutout innings as the No. 1 Florida Southern Moccasins dismantled No. 12 Valdosta State 12-0 on Sunday at Billy Grant Field to complete a three-game series sweep.
A day after committing nine errors in a doubleheader loss, the Blazers (18-8) played error-free ball.
It didn’t matter.
The Mocs (21-2) helped themselves with four home runs off of VSU starter Jeremy Forbus and two more against reliever Chris Wrobel. Sipple spent the afternoon in cruise control, striking out 11 batters and giving up six singles in seven innings.
Forbus pitched out of trouble in the first and second innings, but the Mocs rocked him in the third. Trae Gore hit a lead off home run to right-center. Colin Kaline followed with a single to left and Clark hit his first of three homers on the day, an opposite field shot to right, that made it 3-0. Wade Kirkland followed with a homer to left, his seventh of the season.
The Mocs added two more runs on three hits in the inning. For the third game in a row, they batted around in an inning against VSU.
Meanwhile, Sipple (5-0) navigated his way through the Blazers’ lineup with relative ease. After giving up a lead off single to Ryan Danbury in the first, he retired 10 batters in a row, including four consecutive strikeouts. With one out in the fourth he gave up back-to-back singles to Brandon Decker and Clayton Cain, but he got Austin Smith to ground into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Trailing 7-0 in the sixth, the Blazers loaded the bases on Sipple with no outs, but Sipple struck out VSU’s 3-4-5 hitters Decker, Cain and Smith to end the inning. Sipple’s day ended when he got Chris Jones to ground into another inning-ending double play in the seventh.
The Mocs made it 11-0 in the top of the eighth with two more home runs. Gore hit another homer from the lead off spot and Clark connected on his third homer of the day two batters later.
Clark also had a solo homer in the fourth. He finished 3 for 5 with five RBIs and three runs. Gore was 2 for 5 with two RBIs.
Forbus (4-1) took his first loss of the season, giving up seven runs in five innings.
Cain and Jordan Yost both went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Smith also struck out twice. Danbury was 1 for 2. He finished the series 5 for 10.
Mocs closer Daniel Tillman pitched the final two innings and struck out the side in the ninth.
The Mocs outscored the Blazers 33-7 in the series.
VSU now makes the long trip to Arkansas. The Blazers play at doubleheader against Henderson State on Tuesday and a doubleheader against Ouachita Baptist on Wednesday.
Local Sports
Mocs crush Blazers, sweep series
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Big win for Lady Blazers
Receiving little respect around the conference, region and nation, the Valdosta State women’s basketball team made a statement Thursday night.
The Lady Blazers put together an impressive defensive performance, mixed in with effective offense, to defeat the Alabama-Huntsville Lady Chargers, who entered the night tied for first place in the Gulf South Conference, 65-55. -
No. 6 Chargers rout Valdosta State, 87-65
The season-long struggles for the Valdosta State men’s basketball team hit an all-time high Thursday night, as the Blazers were blown out by sixth-ranked Alabama-Huntsville, 87-65 at the P.E. Complex.
“It was just a knockout punch from the beginning,” Valdosta State head coach Mike Helfer said. “Give (Alabama-Huntsville) a lot of credit for where they are. They are in the hunt for the league lead and they are a great program. They did what they had to do from the start, which was take control of the game.” -
Lowndes’ Chapman, Talmage named to all-star team
Lowndes softball players Ashley Chapman and Maiah Talmage have been chosen to play in the GACA All-Star Softball Showcase in June.
The GACA All-Star Softball Showcase is an annual softball game between top senior players from South Georgia and North Georgia. The game will be played on June 13 at Alto Park in Rome, Ga. -
Berrien, Cook, Lanier announce 2012 schedules
The Valdosta Daily Times has recently received the upcoming 2012 football schedules for the Cook Hornets, Berrien Rebels and Lanier County Bulldogs.
Lanier County kicks off regular season play Aug. 24 with a visit from Atkinson County. Cook and Berrien begin play on Aug. 31, when the Hornets host Worth County and the Rebels visit Calhoun. -
VLPRA group participates in Special Olympics
On the weekend of Jan. 20-22, 21 Special Olympic athletes from the Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority traveled to Marietta to compete in the 2012 Special Olympics Georgia Winter Games.
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Lowndes, Valdosta close out regular season tonight
The Lowndes and Valdosta varsity basketball teams close out regular season play tonight.
Lowndes will host Coffee, while Valdosta hosts Tift County. The girls will tipoff at 6 and the boys at 7:30 p.m.
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VSU's Harris suspended indefinitely
A shortened, diminished roster for the Valdosta State men's basketball team took another blow Thursday following the suspension of senior guard Sidney Harris.
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Big weekend ahead for Lady Blazers
It might be an understatement to call this weekend’s two home games for the Valdosta State women’s basketball team a big deal, because that is exactly what they are.
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Blazers fall to Albany State, 7-3
The Valdosta State baseball team was handed a third-straight loss Wednesday night, as the Blazers fell to in-state foe Albany State, 7-3.
The Blazers were held in check for much of the night, despite being aided by nine Golden Ram walks. With runners on base, the Blazers were unable to produce enough offense to score runs, leaving 12 runners stranded in the game. -
Wildcats rally for 50-40 win over Brooks
Valdosta’s boys basketball team came alive in the fourth quarter, and rallied for a 50-40 victory over Brooks County on Wednesday night.
The Wildcats outscored Brooks 24-9 in the fourth quarter, and turned a five-point deficit into a 10-point win. - More Local Sports Headlines
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