VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State baseball team battled back for a 4-2 victory in ten innings in the series opener versus West Alabama Friday afternoon. The second game was halted in the top of the fourth due to rain and lightning with VSU leading 2-1, and will resume at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. The final game will begin following the conclusion of the halted game.
VALDOSTA STATE 4, WEST ALABAMA 2 (GAME ONE / 10 INNINGS)
With two out in the top of the second Houston Kitterman tripled to right, plating a run for a 1-0 lead for the Tigers. VSU got out of the inning without further damage on a foul out to first base. With two out in the bottom of the inning, a walk to senior Bryson Gandy and a single from sophomore Hunter Stowe put runners at the corners. A balk was called on Bryant Quimby, plating Gandy for a 1-1 score.
UWA put two on with one out in the top of the fourth, but sophomore Zach Dodson came back with a flyout to left for two away. Sophomore Jovanni Canegitta came up with a great diving catch in left field, preserving the tie game and end the Tiger threat in the inning.
A hit batsmen began the top of the fifth for UWA as VSU went to the bullpen in favor of graduate student JP Gates, replacing Dodson. Gates got a fly out and a strikeout to end the inning.
A single with one out by Bryce Newman and a stolen base put him at second in the top of the seventh for the Tigers. On a 3-2 count to Kyle Vogler, Gates fanned him for the second out. On a 2-2 count and a good battle between Gates and Colden Peeples, Gates got Peeples chasing for the strikeout to end the inning.
Gates struck out the side in the top of the eighth for the first three-up-three-down inning for the Blazers in the game. UWA went to the bullpen in favor of Gate Pee to begin the eighth, replacing Quimby, who went seven innings, allowing four hits, one unearned run, walked one and fanned four.
VSU used a single up the middle with one out in the bottom of the ninth from senior Bryson Gandy. A caught stealing and a ground out ended the threat sending the game to extra-innings. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third in the top of the tenth for UWA using the international tiebreaker. A fly out to right followed for the second out as the runner was unable to attempt for home. On a 2-2 count, a wild pitch plated the go ahead run for the Tigers. Gates got his tenth strikeout to get out of the inning as the Blazers needed a run in the bottom of the tenth to stay alive.
Junior Preston Joye was placed at second and sophomore Kevin Taylor moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. A four-pitch walk to junior David Crawford from reliever Jordan Felps followed. A stolen base from Crawford followed for runners at second and third with one away. Junior Nick Gonalez belted his third home run of the season – a three run, walk-off shot to left field for a 4-2 victory.
Gonzalez finished the game 1 for 5 with a run scored and three RBI earning Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors. Gates earned the win in six innings of relief, allowing two hits, one unearned run, walked one and fanned ten as he improved to 4-0 on the year.
For the Tigers, Peeples was 2 for 4 with a walk, while Josh Bower was 2 for 4. Felps took the loss, falling to 1-4 on the year in 0.1 innings of work, allowing one hit, three runs – two earned and walked one.
VALDOSTA STATE 2, WEST ALABAMA 1 (GAME TWO / HALTED TOP FOURTH INNING)
An error and a single put runners at first and second for UWA with nobody out in the top of the second. With runners at the corners and one out, a sacrifice fly from John Mitchell, plated a run for the Tigers. A walk kept the inning alive for the Tigers and two on. A fielder's choice got the Blazers out of the inning without further damage. Two walks and a double from Joye plated a run for the Blazers in the bottom of the second and a 1-1 score.
Crawford began the bottom of the third with a double off the wall. A sacrifice bunt moved Crawford to third with one out. With two out, a balk was called on UWA hurler Jacob Smith, sending Crawford home for a 2-1 lead. It marked the second balk call on the Tigers on the day.
Play was suspended due to lightning and rain at 7:40 p.m. with one out and two on for the Tigers in the top of the fourth.
