Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – After spotting Valdosta State an early lead, the West Alabama baseball team roared back to defeat the 8^th-ranked Blazers 10-5 in game two, earning a split in a Gulf South Conference doubleheader Saturday at Tartt Field. VSU won the first game, 1-0.
 
The split, West Alabama's fifth in as many GSC Saturdays, leaves UWA 16-8 overall and 7-7 in the league. Valdosta State is 15-6 and 8-5. The two teams play the rubber match Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Jocobby Robison combined to get four hits in the two games to pace the UWA offense. Tyler Richburg and Adam Chamblee each had two hits in game two for the Tigers. Mitch Holgate had a pair of hits in game one for the Tigers.
 
Fernando Gonzalez (4-1) went five innings to earned the win in game two, allowing seven hits, striking out five and walking one. Brock Ward worked the final two innings for his second save. VSU reliever Beau Blair (2-1) took the loss.
 
Josh Mann (6-0) worked seven innings, scattering five hits without allowing a run, to pick up the game one pitching win for Valdosta State. Jarod Stanley earned his first save. Zach Parks (5-1) went the distance to absorb the UWA loss in game one, allowing six hits and an unearned run.
 
"Zach Parks pitched really well in the first game," UWA head coach Gary Rundles said. "He had them off balance,  but if you never score you never win."
 
The only run in game one came in the VSU half of the sixth inning. Mike Reed singled, moved to second on a ground ball by Jimmy Dowdell and scored on a throwing error by UWA first baseman Tanner Rainey.
 
The Blazers came out smoking in game two. A two-run home run in the first inning from Bryant Hayman and a two-run double by Matthew Fears in the second inning gave the Blazers a quick 4-0 lead.
 
West Alabama used five hits and a VSU error to plate five runs in the bottom of the third to take a one-run lead. The big blow was a two-run double by Chamblee.
 
Valdosta tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the fifth, but the Tigers scored two in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good. Joel Murphy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Daniel Bolte singled in the other run.
 
"We got some key hits in the second game," Rundles said. "We got down early, but battled back with one real good inning and then kept adding to that. Valdosta State may be as good a team as we have seen all year."
 
UWA added three insurance runs in the sixth. Chamblee drove in his third run of the game and two other runs scored when Richburg's sacrifice bunt turned into a three-base throwing error by Blazer pitcher Zakk White.