The 2011 season has been a frustrating one for the Blazers’ baseball team. After fifteen games, their record stands at a disappointing 5-10. However, there is one opponent the Blazers don’t let down against, Albany State (4-12). Tuesday night, the Blazers took the Rams by the horns and didn’t let go, crushing them 13-4.
Bobby Triglia added to his already impressive junior campaign, hitting his fifth home run of the season.
“I think I’m seeing the ball a lot better,” said Triglia about his successes at the plate this season. “Also I’m playing every day, and getting in a rhythm. Building confidence helps out a lot and getting up there and knowing what works, and just repetition. I just feel really good up there.”
The homer was the first of three VSU runs to be scored that inning.
Marc Overstreet singled and later scored with the help of Josh Vining’s sacrifice fly. On the same exact play, Christian Glisson, who reached base via an error, scored also. Rams shortstop William Smalls botched the ball on the relay throw and Glisson capitalized on the mistake.
For an encore in the fourth, the Blazers plated another three runs, two of which can be added to Tyler Reimer’s RBI numbers giving him nine on the year. The junior hit his first home run of the season, a rocket to left field, scoring Antonio Clark.
The next inning, the team did themselves one run better, hanging up a four spot in the fifth. With one out and Aaron Kicklighter on third base, Ryan Noelte hit a single to bring home Kicklighter for the first run. Antonio Clark reached on a single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch that allowed Noelte to score the second. Clark would score the third on a throwing error and the fourth run to score was Overstreet courtesy of a Christian Glisson double.
“We were able to hit some home runs yesterday,” said head coach Greg Guillams about his team’s offensive output. “When you can get extra base hits that’s the probably the easiest way to get a big inning.”
The Blazers’ bats seem to be taking their season frustrations out on ASU pitching as they scored eight runs in the previous match up. The team has played like Jekyll and Hyde this season, beating their opponent by eight runs or more in three of their five wins. While they win in blowout fashion, the opposite can be said for their losses. The Blazers are 2-6 in games decided by three runs or less.
Their non-conference schedule this early isn’t pretty. Last month, they lost a close one to former No. 3 Georgia College and in this past weekend’s action they dropped two out three to No. 4 Tampa. The Spartans took the first 10-8, but the Blazers’ bounced right back in game two winning 9-8. The deciding game would go to UT as the Blazers’ were shut out 3-0.
This weekend, the Blazers will take on No. 2 West Florida in a three game set. The first two games of the series will be a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the third starts at 1 p.m. Sunday.