April 26, 2008
PENSACOLA, Fla. - In the final baseball series of the season, the Argos were trying to play spoiler to #15 Valdosta State's chances to win the Gulf South Conference East Division. The first game of the doubleheader went extra innings before Valdosta State pulled out a hard fought 5-1 victory, after scoring four runs in the top of the 11th inning. The Blazers had only mustered three hits and an unearned run off Argos' starter Kyle Ramsey, until they broke open the game in the 11th inning.
Valdosta State needed two pitchers to out do Ramsey, in a great pitchers dual at Pelican Park. The first game win improved Valdosta State to 33-15-1 on the season, while the Argos fell to 19-31, with the hard luck loss on Senior day. Senior Jon Reed had a hit for the Argos in the contest; however West Florida could only put together a total of six hits in the game and scored just one run.
Meanwhile, Kyle Ramsey pitched 10 solid innings allowing just three hits, while striking out four batters, until Valdosta State scored four runs off him in the 11th inning. Two of the first three hits allowed came in the fourth inning, which produced Valdosta's only run; however, the first base runner of that inning reached on an error, and that was the run that scored, thus Ramsey did not allow an earned run in his first ten innings.
The fourth inning run tied the score at 1, and it remained that way until the 11th inning. The Argos had taken the lead in the bottom of the second inning, when Jackson Woodard walked, and advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher trying to pick Woodard off first base. Scott Beckwith then sacrificed Woodard to third base, and Craig Westcott drilled a single to drive in the Argos run.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Brandon Brewer reached base after being hit by a pitch, but he was picked off first base. Greg Pron then singled, but the rally was snuffed after that. Therefore, at the end of regulation, neither piching staff had given up an earned run. Ramsey also did not walk a single batter, as he is ranked in the top 20 in the nation in fewest walks per nine innings. Meanwhile, the Blazers used two pitchers thru nine innings, combining to allow only five Argo hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts.
Ramsey proceeded to continue his dominant pitching, into extra innings, and shut down the Blazers in order in the tenth inning. In the bottom of the tenth inning, the Argos also went down in order. Ramsey then took the mound for the 11th inning, and finally ran into some trouble. A leadoff single, followed by an error by the first baseman put two runners on base. Then, an infield single loaded the bases, and a bloop single plated two runs. Ramsey would leave after facing four batters in the eleventh inning, giving up only six hits for the entire game, and five runs, only three of which were earned. Sixto Velasco finished the 11th inning, but the damage was done.
The Argos Steven Bingert led off the bottom of the 11th with a single, but a double play grounder ended the rally. The Argos would have to wait until game two to try to spoil Valdosta State's run at the GSC East Division championship. The two teams also play the final game of the series tomorrow at 1:00 pm at Pelican Park. The Sunday game will be broadcast on Stretch Internet radio for fans to follow the action.
