VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State baseball team (3-6, 1-2 GSC) dropped both games of a Gulf South Conference doubleheader to Union (5-4, 2-1 GSC) on Saturday afternoon at Billy Grant Field. The Blazers fell 10-4 in 10 innings in the opener before a 15-9 loss in the seven-inning nightcap. The Blazers dropped the series to the Bulldogs, two games to one.
Game 1 – Union 10, Valdosta State 4 (10 innings)
The Blazers fought from behind in a close game to deliver a clutch moment in the ninth inning to force extra innings before Union used a six-run 10th inning to secure the victory.
Senior Drake LaRoche turned in a strong start on the mound, striking out seven batters while allowing just one earned run to give VSU a strong chance to win through six innings.
Sophomore Jacob Page provided a key effort out of the bullpen, tossing two scoreless innings with four strikeouts to help send the game into extra innings.
Trailing 4-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Blazers found a clutch breakthrough from a pinch hitter in senior Jackson Webster, who delivered a game-tying solo home run to even the score and extend the contest.
Union responded in the 10th inning, plating six runs to pull away for the win and even the series at one game a piece.
Juniors Matt Keller and Charlie Banks led Valdosta State offensively with two hits apiece, while junior Ryan Strachan drove in two runs. Senior Luca Maberry added a double, and senior Isaiah Pou reached base three times in the loss.
Game 2 – Union 15, Valdosta State 9 (7 innings)
Neither side wasted any time generating offense in the nightcap, with the Blazers jumping out to a 4-2 lead after just one inning of play.
Junior Luke Flading drove in the first run of the game before Strachan delivered a key hit to extend the lead. Walks from Maberry and junior Jason Mack pushed the advantage to 4-2.
Senior Brent Howard put together a big day at the plate in game two, connecting with multiple extra-base hits. Howard doubled twice and stole a base, finishing with a total of four hits to pace the offense in game two.
Valdosta State extended its advantage in the second inning, pushing its lead to 7-2 behind a double from Howard and a single from Banks.
Union responded in the middle innings and used a decisive nine-run sixth inning to turn the game in its favor. Despite late runs from the Blazers, including additional production from Howard, Strachan, and Banks, Valdosta State was unable to overcome the deficit in the shortened contest.
Junior Jack Butler earned the start for the Blazers in game two. Butler punched out seven batters in just three innings of work. Junior Ty Floyd would add a scoreless inning of relief work late in the contest.
Looking Forward
The Blazers will return to Billy Grant Field on Tuesday to host Georgia Southwestern (7-4) in a non-conference matchup at 5 p.m.
Find live stats, written coverage, streaming links, and more on vstateblazers.com and follow @VState_Blazers as well as @VState_Baseball to stay up to date with the team as they begin GSC play.
