Valdosta State used a seven-run sixth inning to defeat Columbus State 8-1 in non-conference baseball action at Ragsdale Field Wednesday evening.

Columbus State (25-19) got a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, while Valdosta State (27-14) evened the game with a Hunter Thompson run in the top of the fifth to tie the game.

The Blazers sent 12 batters to the plate and tallied seven hits in the sixth inning to score the seven runs.

Bryant Hayman opened the seventh with one of his two hits of the inning, reaching on an infield single. Jake Fields drew a walk. A sacrifice bunt moved both base runners up a base, before Hayman scored on a Jamie McMillan single. Fields scored on a Thompson ground out, then Will Wilson, who pinch ran for McMillan, came home on a Daniel Hoover single. A balk moved Hoover to second, allowing him to score on a Clint Carr base hit.

After Nick Rodda was hit by a pitch, Ryan McClellan plated Carr with single up the middle. Hayman had a base hit to center to score both Rodda and McClellan for the final runs of the inning.

VSU pitcher Dom DeMasi gave up six hits and a run in six innings on the mound to improve to 2-1 on the season. He also struck out nine batters in the game.

Hayman had two hits and two runs driven in to lead VSU offensively. Fields and Carr also collected two hits each.

Valdosta State returns to action on Friday at 5 p.m., when it opens its final regular season series of the year, against second-ranked Delta State in Gulf South Conference play. The three-game series will conclude with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.