Valdosta State surrendered five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lose game one 5-4 before rolling to a 14-2 victory in game two as the Blazers split a Gulf South Conference doubleheader with New Orleans.

Marc Overstreet gave VSU an early lead in the day’s first game as he connected on his second career home run in the top of the third inning. Buster Jackson singled to open the Blazer half of the third before Overstreet hit a ball over the wall in left field to post Valdosta State to a 2-0 lead.

Jackson used his speed to help the Blazers push their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning as the VSU centerfielder drew a walk with one out in the fifth and stole second before scoring on Christian Glisson’s double to right.

Valdosta State added another run in the sixth on a Steven Groves single that plated Bryant Hayman before New Orleans scored all five of its runs in the eighth.

Zach Pohto doubled off VSU starter Kevin Rogers to open the eighth before Rogers was replaced by Benjamin Weil. Weil hit the first batter he faced before recording a strike out for the first out of the inning, but proceeded to surrender three run-scoring singles and a walk to load the bases. The Blazers looked to get the second out of the inning on a ground out by Brandon Simon, but the base runner beat the throw home for the fourth out of the frame before a ground out scored the game’s final run.

The Blazers threatened in the ninth as Overstreet singled with one out and moved to second on a fielding error before a ground out by Glisson moved him to third where he was stranded.

Jackson led Valdosta State offensively in game one as he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Overstree also had three hits while Glisson tallied two as VSU out-hit the Privateers 11-8 in the contest. Rogers pitched into the eighth inning and allowed just five hits and one run while striking out two. Weil gave up three hits and four runs in one inning to fall to 4-3.

After giving up a single run in the first inning of game two, Valdosta State scored 14 out of the next 15 runs to grab the lead. The Blazers got on top in the second inning as it took advantage of an error to score two runs before Austin Lawrence added a run-scoring single to put VSU up 3-1.

VSU scored four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Lawrence added the big blow in the fourth as he hit a two-run double while Chaz Bagwell also singled home a run. In the fifth, Alex Smith drove in a run with a base hit while Overstreet scored another with a ground out before an error allowed the Blazers to push their lead to 10-2.

VSU again scored four runs in the sixth inning  inning.

VSU softball sweeps UWG

CARROLLTON —  The Blazer softball team swept West Georgia 11-2 and 13-5 to open Gulf South Conference play Saturday.

VSU hit six home runs between the two games, as freshman Courtney Albritton and senior Samantha Posey each hit two homers. Natalia Morozova hit a home run and catcher Ashley Steinhilber managed a grand slam. On the day, VSU managed over 22 hits.  VSU visits Miles on Tuesday before West Alabam next Saturday.