Box Score VALDOSTA, Ga. - North Alabama used a three-run eighth inning to defeat Valdosta State 5-2 in Gulf South Conference baseball action at Billy Grant Field Sunday afternoon.

Pitching dominated the early part of the game as neither team recorded a hit in the first four inning. Valdosta State (12-6, 7-4) got the first hit of the game when Hayden Jones singled to open the bottom of the fifth before Jayk Graham tallied a base hit with one out. An error loaded the bases before Bobby Rice drove Jones home with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 VSU lead.

North Alabama (11-4, 5-3) evened the game on a lead-off home run by Kyle Conkle in the seventh inning before taking advantage of a VSU error to grab the lead in the eighth. Jake Smith singled with one out to start the rally before Dylan Calhoun drew a walk. After a wild pitch moved both base runners up a base, Brett Guzay was intentionally walked to load the bases. A ground ball by Dylan Boston followed, but the throw from Jones to second base eluded VSU shortstop Mike Reed to allow both Calhoun and Smith to score. A walk and fielder's choice followed before Kyle Hubbuch was hit by a pitch to force in Guzay and give UNA a 4-1 lead.

The Blazers got a run back in the bottom of the eighth as Reed singled with one out and came around to score on a base hit by Michael Gouge that was also misplayed in the outfield, but UNA added a run in the top of the fifth to seal the victory.

Austin Glorius allowed just three hits and three runs, only one earned, in 7.1 innings as he fell to 1-1 on the season while North Alabama's Jacob Westerhouse allowed an unearned run on four hits in 2.1 innings to improve to 3-0.

Graham finished with three of VSU's seven hits while Jones finished with two hits.

Valdosta State returns to action Tuesday, March 10 at 5:00 p.m. when it hosts Georgia Southwestern at Billy Grant Field. The game is a rescheduled contest from one rained out earlier in the year.