TAMPA, Fla. (vstateblazers.com) — Behind a career day from graduate student Mike Christopoulos, going 5 for 5 from the dish, he and the Valdosta State baseball team stayed alive in the NCAA South Region #1 Friday afternoon with a 9-5 victory over Spring Hill College at the University of Tampa.
The Blazers (31-15) will await the loser of the winners' bracket game between top-seeded Tampa and No.5-seed Nova Southeastern on Saturday at 12 p.m. Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the baseball schedule page. Click here for the NCAA South Region #1 Tournament Central. Check back with vstateblazers.com later this evening to see who VSU will battle Saturday.
VSU scored nine runs on 11 hits with two errors, while Spring Hill College (38-14) ended its season with five runs on eight hits and four errors. VSU junior hurler Kevin Tomas (3-2) went six innings, allowing six hits, five earned runs and fanned two, while junior Zach Henderson picked up his third save of the season.
Offensively, Christopoulos finished with the five hits one run scored and four RBI. Junior Orlando Adams went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a triple, while senior EJ Doskow was 2 for 4 with one RBI and junior David Crawford was 2 for 2 with three runs scored, one RBI and three walks. Christopoulos tied the season-high for hits as senior Luke Ard also had five base knocks against Saint Leo (4/12/22).
The Blazers jumped out in front in the top of the first as an early error was costly on the Badgers. Sophomore Ryan Romano reached on the miscue and Doskow later hit a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.
The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth where VSU plated four runs courtesy of three Badger errors. Adams began the frame with a triple to right center and Ard reached on a fielder's choice, plating Adams and advanced to second on a miscue. Christopoulos singled through the left side and moved to third on an error scoring two runs for a 4-0 lead. He then scored on a wild pitch for a 5-0 lead. Christopoulos singled up the middle scoring a run in the top of the sixth for a 6-0 lead.
Spring Hill came back with four runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two RBI double and a two-run home run for a 6-4 score. The Blazers didn't sweat, however, as they scored three runs in the top of the seventh for a 9-4 score, highlighted by Christopoulos' two RBI single to center. The Badgers used an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for a 9-5 score which ended up being the final tally.
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