Tyler Homer lived up to his name in the top of the ninth with a two-run, game-tying blast over the right field wall, and the Valdosta State Blazers used the new life to secure a 4-3 extra inning win against the Delta State Statesmen in Monday’s Gulf South Conference series finale in Cleveland, Miss.

The Blazers scored a retaliatory run in the top of the second inning after falling behind 2-0 in the first. The one run came when Homer led off the second with a walk before he advanced to second on an Elias Macias walk and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Slaughter. Clint Carr took advantage of the opportunity and plated Homer with an RBI grounder to second base to cut DSU’s lead to 2-1.

The second inning run was VSU’s only tally during the first eight innings, and Delta State managed to extend its lead to 3-1 after Nick Morgan delivered a sacrifice fly for the Statesmen in the sixth inning. Roman Donofro came on after the sixth in relief of starter Austin Hamilton and gave Valdosta State two scoreless innings of work, before Homer swung for the clutch long ball in the top half of the ninth.

Donofro stayed in the game for the bottom half of the ninthw, and Beau Blair came on in the 10th to hand DSU its fourth straight scoreless inning. The Blazer offense capitalized in the top of the 11th inning, when Delta State reliever Zack Shannon hit David Wortham to start the frame, before Macias drew another walk and set the stage for Slaughter’s go-ahead single. The base hit to right field marked Slaughter’s fourth of the weekend and proved to be the deciding run, as Blair returned in the bottom of the 11th to pitch around a single and a walk for the win.

With the victory, Blair improved to 5-1 on the year and the Blazers jumped to 30-17 overall. Valdosta State lifted its conference record to 17-13 with the victory, which also clinched a playoff spot for VSU in the upcoming Gulf South Conference Tournament.

Valdosta State will aim to carry the momentum into the final series of the 2017 season, as the North Alabama Lions come to town next weekend for a three-game set at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park. First pitch for the opening doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. Saturday.