VALDOSTA — Lowndes High’s baseball team defeated the Crisp County Cougars at home Tuesday night, 7-2.

Viking pitchers surrendered five hits and two unearned runs while striking out 11. Sophomore left-hander Josh Purvis started the game on the mound, and struck out the first two batters of the game. Purvis got the win, pitching four innings and allowing three hits and one unearned run, while striking out six batters.

In the bottom of the first, Vikings second baseman Josh Reeves led off with a double down the left field line. With one out, Matt Harper drove Reeves home with a double to the wall in center. Later in the inning, Randy J. Williams launched a two-out two-run home run over the left field fence, making the score 3-0 after one inning.

Crisp got a run in the second. Corey Bryan doubled leading off the inning and scored on an error. The Vikings got that run back in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Chase Prine singled, stole second and scored on Josh Reeves’ single.

Matt Harper led off the third inning with a triple to right and scored on Dax Spriggs’ single.

The Vikings added two more in the sixth. Chris Powell led off the inning with a double, then with two outs, Matt Rowland was hit by a pitch. Travis Bragg, running for Powell, scored on a single by Jarrod Pass. Pass scored the Vikings’ final run on an error by the Cougar shortstop. Colby Yates pitched the fifth and sixth innings allowing no runs and only one hit. Jerod Rigoni pitched the seventh, giving up one unearned run and striking out four batters to seal the fourth victory of the season for the Vikings.

Lowndes will host the 2006 Georgia-Florida Challenge this weekend. Along with the Vikings, the other Georgia teams will be Collins Hill and Parkview. They will be matched up with three of the top rated teams from Florida — Florida Christian, Sarasota and Bartram Trail.

On Friday, Collins Hill will play Florida Christian at 5 p.m., with Parkview taking on Sarasota at 7 p.m. On Saturday at 10 a.m., Collins Hill takes on Bartram Trail at Lowndes’ Noel George Field, while Parkview faces Florida Christian at Valdosta State’s Billy Grant Field. At 2 p.m. Saturday, Lowndes faces Florida Christian at LHS and Collins Hill plays Sarasota at VSU. The final games will begin at 5 p.m., with Lowndes playing Sarasota at Lowndes High and Parkview playing Bartram Trail at VSU.