CLEVELAND, Miss. (VSU ATHLETICS) — The No. 24 Valdosta State baseball team posted a 7-2 victory Friday evening at Delta State, snapping a 12-game losing skid versus the Statesmen. The teams are set for a doubleheader to conclude the series Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
The Blazers had not won against Delta State since a 4-3 victory on Apr. 24, 2017, in Cleveland, Miss. On Friday, the Blazers would not be denied, however, with timely offense and strong pitching as they scored seven runs on nine hits with no errors to improve to 9-3 on the year and 3-1 in Gulf South Conference play. Delta State score two runs on six hits with no errors as the Statesmen fell to 4-6 overall and 0-1 in league play.
VSU opened the scoring in the top of the second as graduate student Jakob Sessa singled, followed by a base knock from sophomore Jovanni Canegitta. From there, junior Jacob Harper hit an infield field for a 1-0 lead and junior Preston Joye scored the second run of the inning on a ground out, followed by an RBI double to left field from senior Bryson Gandy for a 3-0 lead. In the third, graduate student Nick Gonzalez got plunked by pitch and moved to second on a ground out. A single from Sessa moved Gonzalez to third and Canegitta ground out to first, plating Gonzalez for a 4-0 lead.
The Blazers kept the pressure on in the fifth as Canegitta doubled to right field, plating graduate student JP Gates for a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the fifth, the Statesmen loaded the bases with nobody out and scored on a sacrifice fly. VSU starter sophomore Zach Dodson went 4.1 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, walked three and fanned one. Senior Brandon Raiden relieved Dodson with one out in the fifth and got the inning-ending double play to end the Statesmen threat.
VSU tacked on two more runs in the sixth for a 7-1 lead as Gonzalez doubled down the left field line, plating two runs. The second sacrifice fly of the game for the Statesmen came in the bottom of the inning, but that was all DSU could muster for the 7-2 final margin.
Sessa finished the game 3 for 4 with a run scored, while Canegitta was 2 for 3 with a run scored, two RBI, a double and a walk to earn Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors. Gates extended his hitting streak to eight games as he went 1 for 5 with a run scored. Raiden (1-0) earned the win in relief of Dodson, going 0.2 innings, allowing one earned run and walked one. As a staff, the Blazers allowed six hits, walked five and fanned eight Statesmen.
