VALDOSTA, Ga. – The third-ranked University of West Alabama baseball team dropped the doubleheader at Valdosta State on Saturday afternoon, falling 5-1 and 3-1. The Tigers fell to 29-7 on the season and 5-3 in the Gulf South Conference. The Blazers improve to 22-10 and remain perfect in conference play at 5-0.

Leading 1-0 through five innings, back-to-back homeruns by the VSU’s Blaine Wilson and Daniel Muniz gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead. VSU added two more runs in the seventh inning to take a 5-0 margin into the eighth.

UWA threatened in the eighth, but managed only one run. Brent Bumgarner hit a one out double to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jake DeRoy singled up the middle to score Bumgarner. A Jeremy Finney single to third base, pushed DeRoy to second, but the rally was cut short on a Tres Avans strikeout to end the inning.

Mike Schmitt (7-1) suffered his first loss of the season, throwing six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.

UWA jumped on the scoreboard first, scoring in its first at bat. Back-to-back singles from DeRoy and Finney and Nick Wheeler being hit a pitch loaded the bases for the Tigers. Cory Houston hit a one out single to right field, scoring DeRoy, but Houston was erased on the play as he passed Wheeler in the base path.

The Blazers answered in the bottom of the inning, tallying two runs. Lance Pierce hit a single to right field and later stole second base to start things for VSU. Pierce then scored on a Wilson single, as Wilson advanced to second on a throw to the plate. Muniz followed with a single through the right side to score Wilson. The Blazers added one run in the sixth inning.

Matt Hill (3-1) received the loss on the mound, his first of the season. Hill threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

West Alabama concludes the series with Valdosta State on Sunday, March 30, at Billy Grant Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. The game will be carried on Y-104.9-FM and athletics.uwa.edu.