BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Every player in the Valdosta State lineup got at least one hit as the Blazers defeated West Alabama, 9-2, in the first round of the Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament Friday at Young Memorial Field.

The win improves Valdosta State to 25-16, while UWA dropped to 27-17 with its sixth consecutive loss.

With the score tied at 1-1 after four innings, Valdosta State scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to put the game away. After pushing across four runs on just one hit and two UWA errors in the fifth, the Blazers used two doubles and a triple for the four-run outburst in the sixth.

"You can't give anyone you play more outs than the game allows and we did that," UWA head coach Gary Rundles said. "We also don't have anyone on this baseball team capable of hitting an eight-run home run, but we got down and starting swinging from our heels."

Mike Reed had three hits to lead a 13-hit Blazer attack. Bryant Hyman and Hunter Thompson both had two hits for VSU. Matthew Fears drove in three runs.

Luigi Mendez had three hits and drove in a run for West Alabama. Daniel Bolte had a pair of hits and reached base four times. Mitch Holgate had one hit and drew four walks to get on base five times for the Tigers.

"I still believe in this team," Rundles said. "We have to come back tomorrow and play it one game, one at bat and one pitch at a time and battle through this thing."

West Alabama will play the loser of the Delta State-Christian Brothers game, which started late on Friday, in an elimination game Saturday at 4 p.m. Valdosta State plays the winner of the DSU-CBU contest in the winners' bracket Saturday at 7 p.m.