Valdosta State used a strong pitching performance to shutout Georgia Southwestern 2-0 in non-conference baseball action at Billy Grant Field Wednesday evening.

With the victory, Valdosta State improved to 4-4 on the season while Georgia Southwestern fell to 1-6.

Valdosta State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as it took advantage of a GSW error in the third inning to score a run. With runner on second and third, Christian Glisson hit a grounder off the foot of Hurricane pitcher Matthew Suggs, but the ball bounced directly to shortstop John Duran, who fired across the field to first.

However, the throw to first short hopped first baseman Andrew Archer allowing Glisson to reach safely and Buster Jackson to score from third base.

 The Blazers added their second run in the seventh inning with a two-out hit from Brent Nelson. With one out in the frame, Bryant Hayman doubled and scored when Nelson hit a ground ball to first. Archer appeared to have the ball, but just before fielding it, the ball bounced high over Archer’s head and off the glove of the leaping first baseman to give VSU a 2-0 lead.

 After surrendering a pair of hits in the first inning, Blazer starter Steven Groves settled down and saw only two batters reach base against him, both on errors by the VSU infield, over the course of the next five innings.

The right-handed senior struck out five and walked none before being lifted after surrendering a lead-off single in the seventh inning while improving to 1-0 on the year.

 Benjamin Weil pitched the final three innings and did not surrender a hit while striking out two for his second save. Five different Blazers recorded a hit in the game.

 Suggs matched Groves in the game as he allowed four hits and two runs, only one of which was earned, in six and two-thirds innings on the mound. He also walked one batter and struck out six in falling to 0-1.

 Valdosta State returns to action Friday, February 17 when it opens a three-game series against Nova Southeastern at 5:00 p.m. in Billy Grant Field.