SAINT LEO, Fla. - Saint Leo Baseball was unable to overcome a late deficit on Tuesday in falling to Valdosta State, 10-6, at Thomas B. Southard Stadium.

After the Blazers struck first in the top of the first, Saint Leo came right back with a RBI double off the bat of Bobby Sparling that scored Tyler Trovinger all the way from first base, tying the game at 1-1. 

The Lions then put together a three-run bottom of the second to take the lead. Saint Leo loaded the bases with one out, setting up Buck Anderson to move everyone over with a RBI single to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. Then Tyler Trovinger brought home a third run on a sac fly to center, making it 3-1 Saint Leo. Sam Crail then singled home Paul Coumoulos, and the Lions had a 4-1 lead going to the third inning. 

But the Blazers refused to go away silently. Valdosta State strung together a five-run top of the fifth inning that propelled them on top, 6-4. Two two-run doubles were the difference maker in that inning, giving the Blazers the advantage. 

The back-and-forth game continued in the home half of the fifth inning when the Lions tied it right back up. After Bobby Sparling got on board with an one-out walk and Adrien Roa moved him to third on a single to right, Eddie Niemann brought them both home on a RBI double to left center, tying the game at 6-6. 

Then the Blazers battled back once again. A double and single put two on with one out for Valdosta State. And a hard ground ball to third, scored the runner from third. That was then followed by a sac fly to center brought home another run, and the Blazers took an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the sixth. The Blazers tacked on two more in the ninth via an RBI double to grow their lead and close the game. 

Valdosta State takes the season series with the win after having defeated Saint Leo, 8-7, back in February. The Lions fall to 27-14 on the season and now get set to host Embry-Riddle this coming weekend for a three-game series.