VALDOSTA – After allowing 15 runs to Florida Southern in the first game of a three-game series Friday, Valdosta State limited the Moccasins run production in both games of a doubleheader Sunday.

In the first game the Blazers came out on top 4-2 thanks to winning pitcher Chris Davison.

The Blazers (9-4) used a seventh inning squeeze play to walk off with a 4-3 victory in the night cap.

“You just don’t know what it means for us as a team,” VSU coach Tommy Thomas said. “What happened (Sunday) is timely hitting, good defense and once again outstanding pitching performances and now it makes us feel like we can possibly play with anybody in the country.”

In the opening game Davison (1-1) was able to limit the Moccasins (11-6) to five hits throughout seven innings thanks to quality pitch placement.

“Coach told me to establish my fast ball and just do what I do, and it worked out.” Davison said. “I did what they expected me to do on the mound and they backed me up making plays and scoring four runs.”

The 5-foot-9 junior struck out a season-high nine batters including striking out the side in the top of the third inning.

“They’re tough hitters,” Davison said. “It’s a very quality club. They are a lot of tough guys to pitch to.”

The defending national champions bats were held quit throughout much of the first game with the exception of the fifth inning.

During the fifth the Moccasins put together three runs on two hits thanks to a two run single by Bryan Brown.

The two runs were not enough, as the Blazer’s offense found enough to win.

The Blazers who have struggled putting runs on the board lately scored the games first two runs in the second inning thanks to small ball.

With Jared Goff on first base after a walk Rusty Harris and Nick Phillips laid down consecutive sacrifices that resulted in fielder’s choices. Phillips and Harris then ran for a double steal, taking second and third base respectively.

With two runners in scoring position Rusty Harris hit a single to center field to bring both runners across home plate.

“Even though it wasn’t a bombing type of hitting performance, the fact that we were able to win one way or another with good pitching good defense and some type of hitting like suicide squeezes,” Thomas said. “It gives a team a great feeling of confidence that now it can go out and play the rest of the year with a feeling if we do everything right we can play with anybody in the country.”

The Blazers added on to the score the next inning as Chris Harris hit a leadoff double to start the third inning.

After Harris stole third base, the junior scored on a Jud Seymour ground out.

Harris finished the game 3-for-4 with one run.

The Blazers final run would also come as result of a leadoff hit when Alberto Castellon reached on a single before moving to second on a wild pitch and moving to third on ground out by Brian Hicks.

Castellon scored on from third on a passed ball by Florida Southern catcher Raul Rodriguez.

After Davison’s seven inning performance junior Justin Lamb pitched two innings of relief allowing one hit for his second save of the season.

The Blazers again had solid pitching in the second game as Robert Petrucci pitched seven innings with two strikeouts and eight hits for the complete game win.

The victory was in jeopardy when the Moccasins tied the game at 3 a piece in the top of the seventh inning on a Nick Diyorio single bringing home Mike Glass.

VSU opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a single by Brian Hicks past the glove of a diving Wade Waybrant at second.

Nick Copeland then dropped a bunt to move Hicks over before Florida Southern pitcher Kyle DeYoung threw the ball over the head of first baseman Brian Schultz ultimately putting Hicks at third base.

After Adam Anderson struck out, Florida Southern intentionally walked cleanup hitter Justin HIll to load the bases.

“I knew we had to do the small things right this weekend,” Hicks said. “It’s huge. It means we can play with any team in the nation.”

Alberto Castellon then came up to the plate as a sacrifice squeeze brought Hicks home for the winning run.

Thomas was surprised the Blazers were able to attempt the squeeze twice in a row with Florida Southern manager and former VSU coach Pete Meyer knowing the Blazers’ signs.

“I kept looking at him to see if he was going to tell the catcher something and he never did,” Thomas said. “So, I’m glad he wasn’t looking.”

Valdosta State got on the board first as a Phillips’ single drove home Jessee Barfield and Scott Brooker and a Paul sacrifice brought home Harris in the third inning.

Though the players on the field had a small part to play in the victory, with a laugh Thomas takes full credit.

“As I told the team, all the credit goes to me as a head coach because even though it didn’t rain yesterday I called that game off knowing that we would have a better chance to sweep a double header than to play a single game both days,” Thomas said. “So, it was a tremendous call on my part not to play yesterday even though it didn’t rain at all.”

VSU’s next game is at Thomas University 4 p.m. Tuesday.

“I wouldn’t say this unless I firmly believe it,” Thomas said. “We and Petrucci deserved to win that ball game.

“It would have been a shame to lose that ball game the way they ended up scoring all three of their runs.”