HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The No. 19/22 Valdosta State baseball team battled back to tie the game at 5-5 in the sixth, but surrendered ten unanswered runs as Alabama Huntsville posted a 15-5 victory in the Gulf South Conference series opener Friday afternoon. 
 
The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET as VSU will need to sweep the twin bill to win the series.  The Blazers fell to 24-11 on the year and 14-8 in Gulf South Conference play, while UAH improved to 23-16 overall and 14-8 in league play.  Both VSU and UAH now are tied for second in the GSC standings a half game back of Montevallo. 
 
UAH began the game with two runs in the bottom of the first on an RBI double and a an RBI single.  VSU came back and cut the deficit in half in the top of the second with an RBI double from sophomore Hunter Stowe with two away.  The Chargers added a run on a double play in the bottom of the inning for a 3-1 lead.
 
In the third, VSU used a leadoff single from junior David Crawford to begin the frame.  With two away, he stole second and graduate student Jakob Sessa singled through the right side, plating Crawford for a 3-2 deficit.  VSU then loaded the bases, but were unable to do further damage.
 
UAH again hit the ball well in the third, plating two runs courtesy of an RBI double and a ground out RBI for a 5-2 score.  VSU sophomore reliever JJ Finn retired the Chargers in order in the bottom of the fourth for the first three-up-three-down inning for the Blazers in the game.  VSU, once again loaded the bases in the fifth with a promising start to the inning, but a double play ended the threat with no runs scored. 
 
Finn retired the Chargers in the fifth in order and, in the top of the sixth, senior Bryson Gandy began the frame with a single to right, followed by a Stowe two run blast for a 5-4 deficit.  After an out, Crawford went deep for a 5-5 score as UAH went to the bullpen. 
 
The momentum for the Blazers was short lived, however, as two more RBI extra-base hits plagued the Blazers in the bottom of the sixth with a triple and another double for a 7-5 deficit.  UAH then scored four runs in the seventh and four in the eighth for the run-rule victory. 
 
VSU scored five runs on 11 hits and two errors, while UAH scored 15 runs on 18 hits and no errors.  Finn (1-2) took the loss in relief, going 3.2 innings, allowing four hits, five earned runs and walked one.  VSU uncharacteristically did not record one strikeout in the game from the pitching staff.  It marked the first time VSU was run-ruled in a game since a 14-4 loss at West Georgia on Apr. 9, 2022. 
 
Stowe was named Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game as he was 2 for 4 with a run scored, one home run and three RBI.  UAH finished the game with eight doubles and one triple in the contest as six different players had two or more hits in the contest with four players registering three hits.