The Blazers survived an exciting ninth inning to defeat Albany State 5-4.

The rain became an ally to the Blazers (14-11) as a rain-soaked field provided the perfect assist.

Having already scored a run to tie the ball game 4-4, VSU called on Nick Phillips to bring home Nick Copeland from third base.

After allowing the first pitch to go by, Phillips laid the bat down flat, and as Copeland sprinted from third the ball rolled slowly down the wet first base line.

Copeland crossed the plate just as the umpire singled fair with the ball rolling within a millimeter of the foul line.

“The bunt came in order,” VSU coach Tommy Thomas said. “We said no doubt about it. We knew what we were going to do. We just said second pitch, and I was lambasting myself because the first pitch was down the middle.

“Another suicide squeeze to win a ball game, that’s thrilling.”

The Blazers managed nine hits throughout the game with four coming in the bottom of the ninth.

VSU went into its final opportunity behind 4-3, and Richard Flores came to bat with one out.

Flores started the rally with a single to left field, followed by two consecutive right field singles by Copeland and Rusty Harris respectively.

“It’s nice to come back in the bottom of the ninth and do the things you need to do,” Thomas said. “We had a little luck with the bloop hits, no doubt.”

Flores was the offensive star for the Blazers, cracking three hits and scoring a run.

“As far as hitting, I want to say a big word for Richard Flores, because when our leadoff hitter didn’t get a hit in that last inning, he comes up and keeps it alive for us,” Thomas said.

The Blazers headed into the final inning leading 3-2 before Albany State put together a 2-run top of the ninth.

Pinch hitter Marcus Smith had a leadoff single before Anthony Jones came in to pinch run and advanced to third on a hit to right field by Diante Blanton.

After Blanton stole second and Frederick West was intentionally walked, Ryan Riles hit his third ball of the night, connecting on a single up the middle that scored Jones and Blanton.

“I can’t say enough about Albany State,” Thomas said. “In the last inning their guy gets a clutch leadoff hit and then the guy gets a perfect hit and run. We had it defended, but we still couldn’t get to it. We kept the second baseman home expecting the ball to be hit that way. The second baseman stayed and he still couldn’t get to the ball. Then the guy comes up and hits a clutch hit.”

Clay Spivey came in to finish the ninth for the Blazers getting a strikeout and Chuncey Ward to pop out for his second win of the season.

Spivey combined with Brandon Cooper and Wade West for a total of seven hits and eight strikeouts for the Blazers.

“I just can’t say enough about the three pitchers that went in, especially the youngsters that haven’t been pitching much,” Thomas said. “Young as in service, such as Brandon Cooper and Wade West.”

VSU jumped to an early lead, putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the second.

With Justin Hill reaching third base after getting on base thanks to a walk, Harris hit a double to left center driving in the junior.

Phillips then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield bringing home Copeland.

All involved with the game had a scare in the fifth inning when home plate umpire Dennis Mitchell was hit in the back of the head by a bat that slipped out of the hands of Albany State’s Frederick West.

Mitchell collapsed to the ground and was knocked unconscious.

After a 12-minute break, Mitchell came back out and finished the game.

In the top of the sixth inning it was Phillips, the VSU second baseman, who was disoriented as he committed two errors.

“It’s very uncharacteristic,” Thomas said. “He’s one of the best defensive players we’ve got. It makes you start thinking what’s going to happen next because we have not had good fortunes as of late.”

The junior middle infielder had a ball go past him on the ground and then one batter later had another error bounce off his foot.

“Nick Phillips making those two errors in three batters is just appalling,” Thomas said. “If you pick somebody out to do that you’re not going to pick Nick Phillips.”

After committing 11 errors in the last four games, the VSU coaching staff has tried every approach to put focus in the players.

However, after uncharacteristic efforts by one of their best players, the Blazers are going to just go out and play hard as they face Gulf South Conference foes Alabama-Huntsville this weekend.

“There’ no sense getting upset and getting mad,” Thomas said.

“We’ve done that and it doesn’t seem to help.

“We’ve just got to bust our butt and give it a thousand percent and hope we improve in areas now that are causing us to lose ball games.”