Blazers split Saturday twin bill; Take series versus Montevallo

Published 4:02 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2022

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta State baseball team split a doubleheader with visiting Montevallo on Saturday to take the three-game series, 2-1.

Valdosta State took Friday’s opener 9-3 while Montevallo won Saturday’s opener 10-1, while VSU used strong pitching performances from junior Kevin Tomas, sophomore Scott Curran and junior Brandon Raiden for a 1-0 victory in the deciding third game. 

VSU improved to 12-5 overall and 6-2 in the Gulf South Conference, while Montevallo fell to 14-4 overall and 1-4 in league play. The 1-0 victory in the nightcap was the second 1-0 victory for VSU this week, as it won 1-0 in nine innings at Flagler on Wednesday.

The Blazers are back in action on Saturday, Mar. 12 and Sunday, Mar. 13, for a weekend away series at Union in Jackson, Tenn. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. ET., and will finish with a single game on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

MONTEVALLO 10, VALDOSTA STATE 1 (GAME ONE) 

With two out and a 1-2 count, Montevallo’s Zen Hiatt doubled to center for a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.  Matt Simon then singled to center with a 1-2 count for an RBI and a 2-0 lead as both the No. 8 and 9 hitters came through for the Falcons in their first at bats of the game. The Blazers got out of the jam without further damage as UM left two stranded for the frame.

An error on a routine grounder, followed by a single up the middle from graduate student Mike Christopoulos put two on for the Blazers in the bottom of the second with two outs. UM hurler JJ Pease got out of the jam with a ground out to first.

UM added to its lead with a two run home run in the top of the third for a 4-0 lead off the bat of Sam Kuchinski, chasing Blazer sophomore starter JJ Finn from the game. Junior Mason Sharp relieved Finn. A hit batsman and a sacrifice bunt moved UM into scoring position with one away.  Sharp got out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts.

VSU put two on with two out in the bottom of the third, but Pease and the Falcons were able to get out of the jam with a fielder’s choice. UM left a man at third in the top of the fourth and VSU began the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff walk. Junior David Crawford singled through the right side for two on and nobody out.  Pease came back with a strikeout for the first out and then came up with 643 double play to end the threat.

A leadoff single and stolen base for the Blazers put Bryson Gandy at second with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth. Pease left the game in favor Zach Toth, who got the benefit of the doubt call for the first out after entering with a 2-0 count. Toth got a foul out for the second out. A hit batsman followed as senior Jisjar Clotida popped up to short to end the threat. Through five innings, VSU left eight stranded.

With two out and one on in the top of the sixth, Montevallo hit its second home run of the game, this time a two run shot to left from Reed Latimer for a 6-0 lead. Blazer reliever junior Zach Henderson got a ground out to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Gandy laced a double off the wall.  Reigning GSC Player of the Week, senior Luke Ard, singled to left for an RBI and a 6-1 deficit. A ground out to second ended the threat.

Latimer hit a sacrifice fly for a 7-1 score in the top of the eighth and Ben Teel followed with a two run home run down the left field line for a 9-1 score. An RBI single up the middle in the top of the ninth made the score 10-1.

UM tallied 10 runs on 13 hits with one error, while VSU had one run on seven hits and two errors. Gandy led the way for VSU, going 2 for 3 with a run scored and a walk. Simon was 3 for 4 for Montevallo with two runs scored and two RBI.

VALDOSTA STATE 1, MONTEVALLO 0 (GAME TWO) 

A two out double and a hit batsmen put two on base for Montevallo in the top of the third of a scoreless game. VSU junior starter Kevin Tomas got a fielder’s choice ground out for the final out as UM stranded two in the frame.

Junior EJ Doskow began the bottom of the fourth with a double to left for the first hit of the game for the Blazers. Junior Orlando Adams put down a great sacrifice bunt, moving Doskow to third. Ard was plunked with the offering for runners at the corners. Doskow scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead. Junior Ryan Romano followed with a single for runners at the corners, once again. A base running mistake led to the second out of the inning and Montevallo got a ground out to second to limit the damage to the one run.

VSU junior hurler Kevin Tomas retired the Falcons in order in the fifth for the first three-up-three down in the game by either team. A pair of two out walks for the Blazers in the bottom of the frame as UM went to the bullpen in favor of Connor Phelan, replacing Gino Cozzi. Phelan got a foul out to get out of the jam.

Blazer sophomore Scott Curran replaced Tomas to begin the sixth. Tomas went five innings, allowing four hits. A two out single from Montevallo brought a pitching change for the Blazers based on matchup of lefty vs. lefty as junior Brandon Raiden entered for Curran. Raiden finished the inning with a big strikeout to send the game to the bottom of the sixth.

VSU took a 1-0 lead to the seventh with Raiden on the mound looking to close it out. Riley Cain began the top of the seventh with a single up the middle. An error put runners at second and third with one out. Raiden got the second out via a strikeout swinging and the Blazers got a line out to Romano at shortstop for the third out.

The Blazers finished Game 2 with four hits, one double, three batters walked and two batters hit by a pitch.

For all information on Blazer baseball visit vstateblazers.com of follow Valdosta State Athletics on social media.