CARROLLTON, Ga. - The Valdosta State Blazers went on an emotional roller coaster ride on Friday with a 5-3 comeback win in game one, before West Georgia returned the favor and came from behind to win game two, 5-4, and finish off a Gulf South Conference split between the two teams.

In the opening game, the Blazers fell behind 3-0 midway through the contest after clean-up hitter Cade Marlowe smacked a two-run single down the left field line in the fifth. The base hit capped off a two-hit inning for the Wolves and poured salt into the wound of an infield error committed earlier in the frame.

Valdosta State showed resiliency, however, starting in the top of the next inning. The Blazers used three infield hits and a double by DJ King to put one run across in the sixth. After Quinton Forrester struck out the final batter of the 7th, Nick Koslowski followed Luke Suchon's second single of the day with a double to center, which plated Suchon and pulled VSU to within one at 3-2.

In the ninth, BJ King opened the top half of the inning with a bang and crushed a solo shot to left to tie the game at 3-3. The Blazers used two more hits, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly to climb on top 5-3, and Sean Gabel slammed the door in the bottom of the ninth to pick up his first save of the year.

In game two, the Blazers trailed again after three, but tied the game up at 1-1 after Dalton Murray and Elias Macias teamed up for a double and an RBI single, respectively, to tie the game at 1-1.

The scheduled seven-inning game remained tied into the eighth, before Valdosta State appeared to take control of the game in the top half of the extra frame. Kendall Herron led off the inning with a single to left center field, and King followed with a single through the left side. Suchon moved both runners up with a sacrifice, and Macias made the Wolves pay for an intentional walk to Koslowski when he ripped a three-run double to left center.

Unfortunately for the Blazers, their 4-1 lead was negated in the bottom of the eighth, when UWG racked up six hits for four runs and the heartbreaking win.

The split moved the Blazers to 14-23 on the season and 8-14 against conference opponents. Meanwhile, the Wolves slid to 23-16 overall and 10-13 in GSC play.

Cooper Cain suffered the tough loss in game two, while Call Graham scored the victory in game one for his first win of the 2018 season.

The series will be decided on Saturday at noon, when the two teams square off for the final game of the three-game tilt in Carrollton, Ga.