VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Union University baseball team dropped the series Sunday, March 13, against nationally ranked opponent Valdosta State by a score of 14-4, after splitting the first two games with a 4-2 win, and 11-1 on Saturday. Valdosta State was ranked twenty first in the nation entering this series. Union moved to 8-7 overall and 7-8 in the Gulf South Conference.
 
In game one, Union struck first in the third inning thanks to a solo homerun by A'Darius Pugh, and from that point on the game was a pitcher's duel. In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Valdosta State hit a solo homerun that tied the game at one. Facing adversity in the top of the tenth however, the Bulldogs scratched across three runs, going up 4-1 after Austin Zeitler scored on a wild pitch, Ryan Lee scored on a wild pitch, and Britt Netterville walked, scoring Drew Hill. In the bottom of the 10th Valdosta managed to add one run, but it wasn't enough as the Bulldogs take the victory 4-2 over nationally ranked Blazers of Valdosta State. Union was led in this game by A'Darius Pugh going 1-4 with one RBI thanks to a solo home run. Walker Adkisson kept the Bulldogs in the game thanks to a second consecutive week of outstanding pitching on the mound. This week he pitched seven innings giving up only three hits, zero runs, with five strikeouts.
 
In game two the Blazer offense slowly chipped away, and after being up 3-0 through five innings, put up a four spot in the sixth and another in the eighth, to put their lead out of reach at 11-1 after eight innings. The Bulldogs run came thanks to a Britt Netterville double to right center field, scoring Trey Frierson.
 
In game three, the Blazers jumped out front again with two runs in the second inning. Union answered in the top of the fourth thanks to a single by Josh Bozoian that scored Patrick Music. Valdosta State answered again with three runs of their own, however the Bulldogs didn't go away easily scoring the next three runs, making the score in the top of the eighth 4-5 in favor of the Blazers. In the bottom of the eighth the Blazers scored nine runs, enforcing the run-rule ending the game at 14-4. Union was led by Josh Bozoian who went 3-4 with two RBI's.
 
Up next for Union is a road GSC series against Delta State. That series begins with a double-header on Saturday, March 20, starting at 1 p.m.
 
-UNION-