JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University softball team dropped three games to the Valdosta State University Blazers on the weekend conference series 11-0, 11-3, and 6-3. The Lady Bulldogs fell to 5-28 on the season and 2-15 in Gulf South Conference play. Valdosta State is now 23-8-1 on the season with a league record of 11-7.

The Blazers took charge in the first game Saturday, March 19 scoring four runs in the first inning, three runs in the third inning, two runs in the fourth inning, and two runs in the fifth inning. Union got just three hits in the game, coming from Emily Bennett, Anna Morris, and Marley Dyess. Senior pitcher, Caitlyn Calhoun, struck out 12 Lady Bulldog batters in her five innings of work.

Valdosta State got the bats started early in the second game of the Saturday double-header getting a run in the top of the first inning. The Lady Bulldogs livened up the bats in the bottom of the first inning when Reagan Schrader hit a shot over the left-center field fence to score Emily Bennett taking their first lead of the weekend 2-1. VSU was able to answer in the top of the second blasting eight runs. Brandy Morgan highlighted the inning crushing a grand slam over the left field fence. Union came back to score one run in the bottom half of the inning. In the top of the fourth inning, Valdosta State came around to score two more runs to take the lead 11-3. The Lady Bulldogs were shut down at the plate in the fourth and fifth inning to set the final score at 11-3.

In the single game on Sunday, the Blazers took the early lead again. Brandy Morgan got a three RBI double to left-center to clear the bases and take a 3-0 lead. Both teams went scoreless in the second and third inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Union got on the board with a solo shot from Madison Tennyson to cut the Blazers lead to 3-1. Coming back in the fifth inning, the Lady Bulldogs got back-to-back triples first from Marley Dyess and then Emily Bennett. Now down 3-2, Reagan Schrader singled to score Bennett tying the game 3-3. Valdosta State found some momentum going into the sixth inning putting up three runs two of which came from solo homeruns.

On the weekend, Schrader led Union at the plate going 6-for-9 with two doubles and a homerun.

The Lady Bulldogs will travel to Birmingham, Alabama to take on Miles College Wednesday, March 23 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Union will continue conference play Friday and Saturday when they travel to the University of West Alabama with a double header starting at 5 p.m. on Friday.

-UNION-