Valdosta State built a six-run lead and withstood a Christian Brothers rally as VSU claimed a 9-7 win in Gulf South Conference baseball action at Buc Field Sunday.

After falling behind 3-0 through the first two innings, Valdosta State (19-12, 8-7) scored all nine of its runs in innings three through six.

Christian Brothers (8-26, 1-17) got on the board with an unearned run in the first inning and scored two more runs on a Ryan Knott single in the second inning before VSU scored the next nine runs.

The Blazers got their first run in the top of the third inning as Daniel Hoover reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt.

Clint Carr followed with a ground out that plated Hoover to cut the Valdosta State deficit to 3-1.

VSU took the lead with four runs in the fourth. Nick Rodda  singled to open the inning before Jake Fields was hit by a one-out pitch. Michael Gouge was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Cooper Lemonds delivered a double down the left field line that scored Rodda and Fields.

After a strike out, Hoover hit an infield single that scored Gouge and got caught in a run down to allow Lemonds to come home as well to give Valdosta State a 5-3 advantage.

Fields and Gouge collected RBI singles while Bryant Hayman stole home in the fifth inning before Hoover doubled and scored in the sixth to push the VSU lead to 9-3.

CBU responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and added a final run in the eighth to close ou tthe scoring.

Jeremy Holcomb allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 5.1 innings to up his record to 6-2 while Mac Cooley allowed eight runs, seven earned, on six hits in 4.2 innings to fall to 2-5.

Hoover was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in to lead VSU offensively.

The Blazers return to action Wednesday when they visit Albany State.