Link to GSC Tourney Page
Link to box score
 
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Union University softball team fell 4-3 to No. 18 Valdosta State University in the 2019 Gulf South Conference Tournament. This loss ended Union's season at 30-25 overall, while Valdosta State survives at 35-15.
 
Union advanced to the third day of the GSC Tournament for the first time in program history in just its second ever trip. Union knocked off No. 16 and two-seed Alabama Huntsville in the first game Thursday, before falling 3-0 to sixth-seed West Georgia Friday.
 
This game also marked the fourth time in Union's five total GSC Tournament games to be decided by one run. Union moved to 1-4 in GSC Tournament play all-time.
 
In the game, Union trailed 3-0 after the top half of the first inning. Union responded with a pair of runs in the second. Gabby Morris smashed her 10th home run of the year, a solo shot to right field. She extended the team's record to 46 home runs as a team. The home run for Morris also moved the junior into fourth place on the all-time career homers list at Union with 25. Later in the inning, Sarah Smith scored an unearned run to cut Union's deficit to just 3-2.
 
Union tied the game in the fourth when Peyton Mathis' fielder's choice RBI drove in Sam McDaniel for the third run.
 
VSU took the lead again, 4-3, with a run in the fifth inning in an RBI ground out.
 
The score stayed 4-3 with Union coming to bat in the bottom of the seventh. Alyssa Ward led off with a single and moved to second on sacrifice by Kaitlyn Kelley. Haley Barnette then nearly missed on what would have been a game-winning home run as her double sent the VSU defense back to the fence. Ward was thrown out at home trying to tie the game.
 
Union out hit Valdosta State 9-8 in the game. Barnette, Ward, and McDaniel each had two hits for Union. Morris and Mathis recorded one RBI each for Union.
 
Gabby Morris started for Union, lasting one-third of an inning with three runs on two hits and a walk. Parker Davis (12-10) took the tough loss, tossing 6.2 innings of relief, allowing six hits and just one run with four strikeouts.
 
Union finished the season with 30 wins for the 18th time in program history. It marked the third time for Union to get 30 wins since starting GSC play in 2013 and first since 2015.
 
-UNION-