JACKSON, Tenn. - Valdosta State baseball surged in game one before slipping in game two for a split (13-3, 3-4) against Union in a Gulf South Conference doubleheader on Friday in Jackson, Tenn.

The Blazers methodically chipped away at the Bulldogs in the first inning of the opening game of the conference double header after sending 14 batters to the plate in the frame. Valdosta State posted eight hits in the frame, seven of which were singles. As a result, the Blazers took an 8-0 lead before Union ever even stepped to the plate.

The Blazers scored at least one run in every other inning the rest of the way, which set the stage for pitcher Hunter Jones (2-1), who allowed just one earned run and struck out three while scattering seven Bulldog hits over five innings. Colton Chupp came on in relief in the sixth, and locked Union down to preserve the lead and give VSU the win.

Five different Blazers recorded multiple hits in the game, and leadoff hitter Kendall Herron led the way with three hits and three RBI's. In addition, three of VSU's 13 hits were for extra bases, as Herron, Elias Macias, and Carson McCullers swung for a pair of doubles and a triple, respectively.

After homers by Macias and Dalton Murray in game two to give VSU a 3-0 lead, the Bulldogs overcame the deficit in the latter innings with a two run long ball by Chase Diggs in the fifth and an RBI single by Zane Phillips in the sixth.

With the score knotted up at 3-3 in the seventh, Union produced a leadoff single to force Quinton Forrester (0-2) out of the game, and Ricky Miranda came on in relief. The Bulldogs sandwiched a base hit between a pair of outs and followed with a walk to load the bases, before a wild pitch allowed the winning run to cross.

With the split, the Blazers shifted to 11-16 overall and 5-9 against league opponents. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs moved to 11-19 overall and slid to 6-10 in conference play.

The Blazers will close out the road series on Friday at 2:00 p.m. EST in Jackson, Tenn.