VALDOSTA — Georgia College and State won the Ralph Starling Classic, defeating host Valdosta State in a tight contest on a 40-degree afternoon, 2-1 Sunday at Billy Grant Field.

“Overall, I’m happy with the effort of our team. But I still hate to see them win this tournament,” Valdosta State head coach Tommy Thomas admitted. “This is our tournament, and I wanted us to win.

“But I was still pleased with the effort, and especially with the pitching. We got good pitching yet again today. Our pitchers have thrown the ball well. Now we’ve just got to find a way to score a few more runs.”

Hans Stancil’s solo home run in the top of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and wound up being the winning run for GCSU.

For the most part, the game was a pitcher’s duel. Valdosta State starter Chris Davison allowed one run on four hits and struck out eight in five innings of work, while Georgia College and State starter Mike Bergstrom allowed no runs on four hits, and struck out six in five innings. Each bullpen allowed only one run apiece in four innings of work.

“Our pitching staff is doing a good job,” Thomas said. “To hold one of the best hitting teams in the country to just two runs, I couldn’t be happier.”

Georgia College and State got on the board in the top of the first. Stancil singled with one out and took second on a wild pitch. Stancil then advanced on a fly out, and Wes Sorrells followed with an RBI single to left, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.

Davison got in trouble in the third, but pitched his way out of it. The Bobcats had runners on the corners with two outs, but Davison bore down and struck out Sorrells looking on a full count to end the inning.

Valdosta State had a great opportunity in the bottom of the fifth. Singles by Jud Seymour and Nick Copeland put two men on with one out, then they advanced on a wild pitch. But Brian Hicks struck out looking, then after Drew Camp’s fly ball fell a foot outside of the foul line, Bergstrom blew strike three by Camp to end the inning.

For the third straight day, VSU’s starter was pulled after five innings of work, and with Davison having thrown 111 pitches on a 40-degree day, it made sense anyway. Chris Wheaton (0-1) relieved Davison in the sixth, and threw two innings before yielding to Stewart Thomas, who pitched the final two innings.

The Blazers rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth. Nick Phillips was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Then GCSU reliever Christian Castorri (1-0) tried to pick Phillips off at first, but threw the ball into right field, and Phillips raced around to third. One out later, Kohle Paul lined a single into right field, and Phillips trotted home to make it 1-1. Chris Harris followed with a single, putting two men on, but Castorri retired the next two hitters.

But it didn’t take long for the Bobcats to get the lead back. With one out in the top of the seventh, Stancil ripped a Wheaton pitch off the white sign behind the wall in right center for a solo home run, making it 2-1.

VSU put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the seventh. But on a full count, the umpire called pinch hitter Jessie Barfield out on a pitch 2-3 inches off the plate, then Nick Copeland flew out to shallow right center to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, VSU’s last chance, Scott Brooker walked, then took second on a wild pitch, and went to third on a passed ball. But with the tying run only 90 feet away, GCSU pitcher Jayson Bennett struck out Hicks to end the game.

Copeland (2-for-4) was the only Blazer with more than one hit. Stancil (2-for-5, 2 runs, RBI), Sorrells (2-for-4, RBI) and Casey Cullen (2-for-4) had two hits apiece for Georgia College and State.

Valdosta State travels to St. Leo on Tuesday, then returns home to face Thomas University on Wednesday.