VALDOSTA, GA – Despite scoring six runs in the ninth inning, the University of West Alabama baseball team dropped a 9-8 decision at Valdosta State (20-14, 6-3 GSC) Sunday ending a three game series with the Blazers at 1-2.

Behind 27 hits over 16 innings, UWA was able to earn a split with Valdosta State on Saturday, but could not overcome an early 9-1 deficit in game three to win the series.

VSU put up a seven-run second inning in the first game of the series and ran away with a 13-5 win. Robert Morgan led the Blazer attack, going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Ryan Chromek also added three hits, including a double and three RBI. Adam Lingenfelter (5-2) pitched seven innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on nine hits en route to picking up the win.

UWA’s Brandon Boles led the way in game one with the stick, going 2-for-3 with a double and one run scored. Randal Minton added a double and one RBI, while Scott Needs finished the contest with a couple of hits and one RBI. Farrell also added two hits, while teammates Dustin Carter and A. J. Ray rounded out the Tiger offense with two hits apiece.

Ryan Taylor (6-4) took the loss on the hill for the Tigers allowing nine runs, eight earned, on nine hits in 5.2 innings of work.

In game two, the Blazers and Tigers were locked into a dead even tie entering the final inning of play, but two critical two-out, RBI singles from Scott Needs and Rafael Farrell earned the Tigers a 7-5 win.

Minton led the Tigers in game two, going 4-for-5 with a run scored. Rafael Farrell went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI, while Needs finished the game with three hits, including a double. Jonathan Lindsey added a pair of hits; while Ray had one hit and stole one base, which broke the UWA school record for stolen bases in a season (106).

Lee Boyd (5-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Matt Chambless. Boyd allowed no runs on one hit in 0.2 innings of work. Clint Chambless picked up his sixth save of the year, pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

John McDonald led the VSU offense in the second game, going 2-for-4, including a home run and two RBI. Will Thompson (0-1) pitched five innings and allowed three earned runs on 10 hits en route to picking up the loss.

In game three the Blazers took a 9-1 lead over the Tigers with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, before UWA would score seven runs in the final two innings for the final score of 9-8.

Ryne Lawson (4-3) took the loss for the Tigers, allowing seven runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Bryan Bennett (4-3) picked up the win for the Blazers, throwing 8.0 innings while allowing four runs (two earned) on ten hits.

Dustin Carter went 3-for-5 with three RBI for the Tigers. Daniel Wilson went 3-for-4 with two doubles and one RBI, while Scott Needs and Brandon Boles added two hits each for West Alabama.

Ryan Chromek went 3-for-5 with a triple and one RBI for the Blazers, while Matt Rucker went 3-for-3 with two RBI.

The Tigers (25-15, 5-4 GSC) drop to second place in the GSC East Division and will look to improve in the GSC standings this week when they return to action on Friday as they host West Florida in a doubleheader beginning at 4:00 p.m.