VALDOSTA, Ga. – State rebounded from a game one 15-4 loss to take game two 14-5 in a non-conference baseball doubleheader against Shippensburg at Billy Grant Field Saturday afternoon.

Shippensburg (1-12) never trailed in the first game as it scored four runs in the top of the first inning. A.J. Czap singled to open the game and moved to second when Ben Miller was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt, Cody Kulp walked to load the bases and Kevin Scholly doubled to right-center to score Czap and Miller. A sacrifice fly drove home Kulp and Tyler Kulphouse doubled to score Scholly to give the Raiders a 4-0 lead.

Valdosta State (15-5) struck back for a run in the bottom of the first as Ryan Danbury reached on an error and eventually scored on Clayton Cain ground out, while the Blazers closed to within a run with two more scores in the second.

Brandon Decker was hit by a pitch to lead off the VSU half of the second, but was erased on a Jordan Yost fielder’s choice. Antonio Clark followed with a base hit and Chris Jones walked to load the bases, allowing Yost and Clark to score on a Danbury single.

Shippensburg scored two runs in the third before breaking the game open with six runs in the fifth. Four different Raiders collected an RBI in the inning, which saw 10 Shippensburg batters come to the plate. Miller’s two run single was the key hit in the frame, that saw SU build a 12-3 lead.

The Blazers got one run back in the bottom of the fifth, only to have Shippensburg close out the scoring with three runs in the eighth.

Nick Umberger surrendered just five hits and four runs while striking out five in eight innings to improve to 1-2 on the season for Shippensburg. Luke Connell fell to 0-1 for VSU as he gave up five hits and six runs in two innings.

Shippensburg again jumped out in front in the second game as it plated a run in the top of the first. With two outs in the frame, Kris Kullman singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Kulp followed with a double to left-center to plate Kullman, giving the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

Valdosta State grabbed its first lead of the day in the bottom of the first as it sent 11 men to the plate while scoring seven runs. Danbury and Clark singled to open the frame before Decker walked to load the bases. Cain followed with a single through the right-side of the infield to score Danbury and Clark. A fly ball moved Decker to third, allowing him to score on an Austin Smith sacrifice fly before Jordan Hollis singled on a hit-and-run play to move Cain to third. Zack Piper proceeded to boot a Jon Koenigsfeld ground ball to score Cain while Jones singled to center to score Hollis. Koenigsfeld and Jones executed a double steal and scored when Danbury collected his second hit of the inning to give VSU a 7-1 advantage.

The Blazers added three runs in both the third and fourth inning while the Raiders scored two in the fifth, only to have VSU respond with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning. Shippensburg added two more in the top of the sixth to cut its deficit to nine runs.

Valdosta State starter Kyle Rowe allowed seven hits and five runs in five and a third innings to improve to 3-1 on the season. Meanwhile, SU starter Koby Kibler six hits and seven runs in just two-thirds of an inning to fall to 0-2.

Danbury had three hits and six runs batted in to lead Valdsota State offensively. Koenigsfeld and Clark also tallied three hits apiece.

The two teams conclude the four game series with a doubleheader on Sunday at Billy Grant Field. First pitch is slated for Noon.