VALDOSTA, Ga. -
Valdosta State pounded out 25 hits as the Blazers defeated Augusta
State 16-2 in non-conference baseball action at Billy Grant Field
Saturday afternoon.
Augusta State (2-4) jumped out to an early lead as its first three
batters reached base. Tony Baker singled to left to start the game
before Carl Burrow drew a walk. Kenny Smith followed with a single
to center and Baker just beat the throw home to give ASU a 1-0
lead. However, a strikeout and a double play ended the threat
without further runs crossing the plate.
Valdosta State (3-2) quickly got the run back in the bottom of the
inning. Antonio Clark doubled to open the frame and moved to third
two batters later when Brandon Decker singled off the foot of ASU
starting pitcher Wilson Taylor. Clayton Cain followed with a fly
ball to left that Phillip Anchors made a diving stab at, but the
ball bounced just out of his grasp allowing Clark to score to even
the game at 1-1.
The Blazers took the lead in the bottom of the second as they sent
12 men to the plate in the inning. With one out, Jon Koenigsfeld
doubled to right-center and moved to third on a Josh Vining single
through the right-side of the infield. Clark proceeded to deliver a
single to left to plate Koenigsfeld and Jordan Yost walked to load
the bases. Decker doubled to left-center to clear the bases and
scored as Cain followed with a single through the left-side of the
infield. Jake Summers singled to put two men on and scored with
Cain when Jaguar centerfielder Alex Webster committed a throwing
error on an Austin Smith single. Smith moved to third on the play
and scored the inning's final run on a Bobby Triglia ground out to
give VSU a 9-1 advantage.
Valdosta State added three more runs in both the third and fourth
innings as well as one in seventh while Augusta State added its
final run in the eighth inning.
All nine Blazer starters got a hit in the game as did three of the
six position reserves. Clark led VSU with five hits and four runs
scored in six at-bats while Decker was four-of-four with two runs
scored and four driven in. Cain and Koenigsfeld tallied three hits
each while Vining and Smith finished with two apiece.
Burrow led the Jaguars with two of Augusta State's eight hits.
Brett Kennedy improved to 2-1 on the season as he surrendered four
hits and a run while striking out five in five innings. Wilson
Taylor fell to 1-1 for ASU after surrendering 16 hits and 12 runs,
11 of which were earned, in three innings of work.
The two teams conclude the three game series on Sunday with a
double header beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Billy Grant Field.
