ALBANY, Ga. – Albany State University baseball used a home field advantage to collect an 8-1 victory over the Blazers of Valdosta State University on Tuesday. The Blazers were unable to get timely hits in the loss as they left 12 stranded in the game, though outhitting the Golden Rams, 11-9. ASU left six on base.
Albany State (8-14) tallied eight runs on nine hits as the Golden Rams scored the first four of their eight runs with two outs.
Theo Smith was 2 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Travis Ray, Jr., was 2 for 4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored.
Golden Rams reliever
Jordan Griffin (1-1) earned the win in relief of starter Brock Roundtree as Griffin went four innings, allowing six hits. Roudtree went four innings, allowing one earned run, five hits, walked one and fanned four.
VSU junior hurler Zach Blankenship (1-2) went three innings, allowing four hits, four earned runs, walked two and fanned four. VSU walked batters in the game which proved costly. The bullpen allowed four earned runs on five hits, walked three and fanned six.
ASU began the game with two runs in the bottom of the first with an infield single, stolen base and a walk. Blankenship got the second out, but Ray, Jr., doubled to right, plating two runs for a 2-0 lead.
The Blazers had a great chance to take advantage in the second inning with a leadoff error by the Golden Rams and a single from Haughton. A sacrifice bunt moved the men over and a walk loaded the bases, but Roundtree got a ground out to end the threat as the Blazers left the bags full.
In the third, VSU cut the deficit in half as King singled to center and Stephens doubled to right, while a ground out scored the lone run. Through three innings, VSU left six runners stranded.
In the bottom of the third, ASU plated two more runs as Blankenship made quick work of the first two batters, but a hit batsmen, single and walk loaded the bases with two away. Smith singled home two runs for a 4-1 lead.
ASU loaded the bases in the fifth with nobody out off VSU junior reliever Anthony Dahl as VSU went to the bullpen in favor of junior Bryce Van Horn, two RBI singles followed, along with a wild pitch score and a sacrifice fly for an 8-1 lead.
The Golden Rams will host a four-game series to open its conference play against the Dragons of Lane College on March 16-17. The first game is slated for 1 p.m. The Golden Rams will return on Sunday with first pitch slated for 12 p.m.
For more information on the ASU baseball team, visit asugoldenrams.com and follow Golden Rams Athletics on Twitter @ASUGoldenRams, or call 229-500-2863.
