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