NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Valdosta State baseball team split a doubleheader Saturday at Trevecca Nazarene.  TNU won the opener Saturday 5-2, while Blazer junior hurler Jack Butler pitched a complete game in the nightcap for a 3-2 win.  
 
VSU (4-10, 2-4 GSC) snapped a five-game skid with the win in the nightcap, while TNU moved to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in league play.  The win snapped TNU's eight-game winning streak.  
 
The Blazers return home to host The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Feb. 27-28 at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park.  Friday's opener is set for a 5 p.m. first pitch, followed by a doubleheader on Feb. 28 beginning at 1 p.m.
 
TREVECCA NAZARENE 5, VALDOSTA STATE 2 (GAME ONE)
The Blazers opened the scoring in the second inning with four-straight hits to begin the frame, including an RBI single from junior Jason Mack for a 1-0 lead.  Sophomore Parker Ladd hit a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. The Trojans used an RBI ground out in the bottom of the second for a 2-1 score.  
 
In the bottom of the fourth TNU's KC Anchors belted a two run home run for a 3-2 TNU lead.  The Trojans pushed the lead to 4-2 with a leadoff single and error followed by a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.  Following a double, Caleb Webster singled up the middle, plating a run for a 5-2 score.  
 
The Trojans closed the out the Blazers in the ninth for a 5-2 win.  For the game, VSU scored two runs on six hits with two errors, while TNU had five runs on 12 hits and no errors.  Senior Jackson Webster was the lone Blazer with a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4.  Senior Drake LaRoche (1-1) took the loss, going six innings, allowing 11 hits, five runs – four earned, walked one and fanned four.  Anchors paced the Trojans going 1 for 3 with a run scored and three RBI.
 
VALDOSTA STATE 3, TREVECCA NAZARENE 2 (GAME TWO)
The Blazers used a leadoff single from junior Charlie Banks in the top of the second of the nightcap and junior Ryan Strachan singled, before senior Easton Hood singled and plated two runs on a miscue by the Trojans for a 2-0 lead.  In the fourth, Mack reached on a fielder's choice and plated a run on another error by TNU for a 3-0 lead.  Blazer junior starting pitcher Jack Butler fanned four and walked one through the first three innings without allowing a hit or a run. 
 
TNU began the bottom of the fifth with a double for the first hit off Butler in the game, but the Blazer "D" came up with a big play at the plate on a fielder's choice for the first out and got a double play to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, a miscue on the Blazers put a man on, but Butler got a big strikeout for the first out.  The Blazer "D" turned its second double play of the game to get out of the inning.  
 
Butler retired his sixth via the strikeout to begin the bottom of the seventh, but Noah Boughton singled to right field and a full count walk followed bringing the potential tying run to the plate.  TNU's Rylan Moses singled home two runs for a 3-2 score, but Butler got a fly out to right to end the game.  
 
Butler (1-0) went all seven innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, walked two and fanned six in 88 pitches.  Banks finished the nightcap 2 for 2 with a run scored and a walk, while Strachan was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and Hood was 1 for 3 with two RBI.  Moses had one hit with the two RBI for the Trojans.