CARROLLTON, Ga. – The Blazer baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of the West Georgia Wolves (4-3, 5-1) in Gulf South Conference action on Saturday in Carrollton, Ga.
The Blazers (24-14, 15-9 GSC) overcame an early 1-0 deficit with a two-run blast off the bat of
Cliff Bryant in the fourth inning, but the Wolves (29-10, 17-9 GSC) retaliated in the bottom half of the same inning with three straight singles to tie the contest up at 2-2.
Valdosta State reclaimed the advantage in the fifth inning when
Dalton Duty delivered a two-out single and came around to score on a
Tyler York double to left center field. The Wolves limited the damage and halted VSU's momentum, however, when
Marcus Sigmon singled to right field and York was cut down at the plate on a relay from Tyler Hutch in right field to Dalton Rogers, who threw to catcher Payton Mann at the plate to get the out.
The play proved to be a critical one to end VSU's threat in the fifth, as UWG led off the bottom half of the same inning with back-to-back base hits. Both Rogers and Caleb Lopes came in to score on a Garrett Hayes double later in the frame, which proved to be the difference and resulted in a loss for Blazer starter
Mitchell Cody (5-4).
In game two, VSU delivered the first run of the game when
Ryan Slaughter led off with a walk before
Clint Carr sacrificed his plate appearance with a bunt to move Slaughter into scoring position at second base. Two batters later, an errant throw by shortstop Caleb Lopes allowed Slaughter to cross and give the Blazers a 1-0 lead.
That was all the Blazers would get offensively though, and West Georgia scored two runs in the bottom of the same inning on a Cade Marlowe double. The pair of runs put UWG on top 2-1 and gave the Wolves a lead they would not relinquish. Matthew Norton benefitted from three additional West Georgia runs in the game to cruise to a victory and improve to 5-1 on the season. VSU's
Kellan Bailey suffered the loss to fall to 6-4.
Valdosta State will aim to end the series on a high note tomorrow with the finale, slated for a 1:00 p.m. start in Carrollton, Ga. at Cole Field.
