VALDOSTA, Ga. – A five-run first inning would not be
enough as the GSW baseball team was held scoreless the rest of the
way and No. 13 Valdosta State picked up the 8-5 come-from-behind
victory in non-conference baseball action at Billy Grant Field
Wednesday evening.
Southwestern (19-12) opened the scoring in the top of the first
inning as Bud Long tripled off the wall in centerfield to open the
game and scored as Zack Stanton followed with a single up the
middle. Trent Dooley followed with a double to right-center and
scored along with Stanton on a Byron Haynes single up the middle.
After Paschel Poston was hit by a pitch, Kevin Carroll doubled down
the left field line to score Haynes, chasing VSU starter Luke
Connell and giving the Hurricanes a 4-0 lead.
Jared Allen greeted Blazer reliever Kyle Rowe with a single
through the left-side of the infield to plate Poston and give GSW a
five run lead while Rowe struck out the next three batters to end
the inning.
Valdosta State (29-11) got two runs back in the second inning on
a pair of back-to-back doubles. Austin Smith walked to open the
inning and advanced to third as Jake Summers followed with a double
to right-center. Jon Koenigsfeld proceeded to double to right to
score both base runners and cut the Blazer deficit to 5-2.
The Blazers cut the Georgia Southwestern lead to two runs in the
fourth as Koenigsfeld singled and scored on a Jordan Hollis base
hit to right before scoring four runs in the fifth to take the
lead. Ryan Danbury walked to open the fifth inning and used a
ground out and wild pitch to move to third base before scoring on a
Summers single up the middle. A wild pitch moved both Summers, and
Smith, who had a previously drawn a walk, into scoring position and
Koenigsfeld drove both base runners home with a single up the
middle to put the Blazers in front. The VSU short stop promptly
stole second and scored on a Josh Vining single to give VSU a 7-5
advantage.
VSU took advantage of a GSW error to add an eighth run in the
seventh inning
Tyler Daniel (2-6) gets the loss for GSW, allowing seven runs in
4 2/3 innings. He walked six and struck out two.
Jeremy Coram earned his first career victory as he did not
surrender a hit in an inning and two-thirds. Brett Kennedy recorded
the final nine outs to pick up his first save.
Dooley and Allen finished with two hits apiece to lead GSW.
Koenigsfeld was 4-for-4 at the plate and drove in four runs to
lead Valdosta State. Summers added a pair of hits for the Blazers.
Southwestern returns to action on Friday with a 7 p.m. Peach
Belt Conference matchup against Lander at Hurricane Stadium.
Special thanks to VSU Sports Information
