Valdosta State Splits with North Alabama

Blazers fall 8-7, win 11-5

FLORENCE, Ala. - Valdosta State fell 8-7 in the first game, but rebounded for a 11-5 win in game two as the Blazers split a Gulf South Conference doubleheader at Cole Field Saturday.

The Blazers (30-12, 8-3) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first game as they scored four runs in the top of the first inning. With one out, Antonio Clark singled and moved to third as Brandon Decker followed with a base hit. Clayton Cain reached on an error to drive home Clark while Austin Smith drove home Decker with a single. Cain and Smith also both scored in the game when Jake Summers singled to give VSU its four run lead.

North Alabama (20-18, 4-4) responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning as Chase Porch, Kevin Williams and Jacob Lamar tallied run-scoring singles before taking the lead with three more runs in the second. A Kevin Williams fielder%u2019s choice in the third helped the Lions double up the Blazers, giving UNA an 8-4 lead.

Decker, Cain and Smith all collected run scoring singles in the sixth to cut the VSU deficit to 8-7.

Ross Gusky took the loss and fell to 6-2 as he allowed six hits and seven runs in two innings of work. Mitch Handley improved to 4-4 after surrendering 12 hits and seven runs in six innings.

In the second game, VSU scored the first nine runs of the game to build a lead it would not relinquish. The Blazers scored four runs in the top of the first inning including three on Cain's 13th home run of the year. Clark, who had doubled with one out, and Decker, who had followed with a walk, scored on the play while three UNA errors allowed Jon Koenigsfeld to score the final run.

A Ryan Danbury sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single by Smith in the second pushed the Blazer lead to 6-0 in the second before Valdosta State added three more runs in the third. Jordan Yost doubled with one out in the third and scored as Danbury followed with a triple. Clark singled to plate Danbury and came around to score two batters later when Cain reached on a base hit.

North Alabama struck back for two runs in the fourth as Lamar and Nick McGregor singled to open the inning while each moved up a base on a wild pitch. A pair of fielder's choices allowed both base runners to score as the Lions cut the Blazer lead to 9-2.

The Blazers added two more runs in the seventh on run-scoring singles by Jordan Yost and Josh Higginbotham while the Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to close out the scoring.

Jeremy Forbus picked up his team-leading seventh win, against just one loss, as he allowed five hits and five runs while striking out seven in seven innings of work. Trey Mitchell fell to 3-4 as he surrendered eight hits and nine runs, only five of which were earned, in two and two-thirds innings.

Cain finished the day with four hits and six RBI to lead VSU offensively while Yost also finished the day with four hits.

The two teams conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon at Cole Field.

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