VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State was shut out for the first time this year as West Alabama defeated the Blazers 7-0 in Gulf South Conference baseball action at Billy Grant Field Sunday afternoon.
 
West Alabama (15-8, 9-5) opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third inning. Blazer starter Austin Glorius walked the first two batters of the inning before hitting the third to load the bases. Following a ground out, Jack Cockrum singled up the middle to drive in two runs while two batters later Eddie Keiffer hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 3-0 UWA lead.
 
After Valdosta State (13-10, 7-7) squandered a scoring chance in the third inning, during which it loaded the bases with only one out, and another in the fourth, when VSU loaded the bases with no outs, the Tigers struck for four more runs in the sixth inning, three of which came on Tanner Rainey's third home run of the season that put UWA up 7-0.
 
Valdosta State also loaded the bases with only one out in the ninth inning and failed to score.
 
Glorius allowed six hits and seven runs in 6.1 innings as he fell to 1-2 on the season while West Alabama starter Gandy Stubblefield gave up eight hits and struck out five in 7.0 innings to improve to 1-2.
 
Michael Gouge, Hayden Jones and Kevin Cruz each had two hits to lead VSU offensively.
 
Valdosta State returns to action Wednesday, March 18 when it hosts Georgia Regents at Billy Grant Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.