VALDOSTA — Valdosta State coach Greg Guilliams doesn’t have a magical formula to solve the Blazers’ offensive woes.

“If I knew the answer to that one, I’d probably write a book and make a lot of money,” Guilliams said after his team was swept (2-1, 5-2) by the Union Bulldogs in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park.

Neither team’s offense saw much success in the day’s opening game; both had four hits apiece.

Hunter Jones (3-1) was among the Blazers’ best from Game 1. His performance allowed VSU (16-9, 8-6 Gulf South Conference) an opportunity to get its offense going. Jones had a no-hitter brewing through five innings and faced two batters in the seventh before Roman Donofro relieved him. Jones surrendered two runs (both earned) on three hits with 12 strikeouts and two walks.

Jones got himself out of a jam in the fifth. He delivered a strikeout with runners on first and third to close the frame. Jones did it again in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and second and two outs, he struck out another Union batter to end the threat.

“Hunter’s been good,” Guilliams said. “He’s had five conference starts and he’s been good in all five. Certainly he did everything and then some, as far as giving our team a chance to win.”

Kendall Herron had two hits and plated the Blazers’ run in the sixth, giving them a 1-0 lead. Tyler Morris’ hit to shallow-center scored Herron.

Union rallied back in the seventh. Zach Wylie doubled to center to score Hayden Lewis and Zach Phillips for a go-ahead 2-1 lead.

The Blazers couldn’t overcome the deficit.

“I thought (Union) played good defense,” Guilliams said. “More so the first game, their pitchers threw strikes and they changed speeds on us. They just executed their game plan, I thought.

JR Miller (4-0) pitched eight innings for the Bulldogs (20-5, 9-4), allowing one run on four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Union 5

VSU 2

VSU’ Ryan Slaughter his a solo home run over left-center in the third inning, and Morris added a solo homer to tie the game at 2 in the fourth, but that was about as much offense as the Blazers got in their 5-2 loss in Game 2.

Between games, Guilliams said he addressed the Blazers’ “poor approach to play and our inability to hit with two strikes.”

“I was really disappointed that it didn’t get any better, if anything it probably got worse,” the coach said. “I just think our players are really pressing. They just aren’t playing with a lot of confidence and it was disappointing, because I thought we had a good week of practice. I thought we swung the bats really well in practice, but at some point you’ve got to perform in a game and we’re still trying to figure that out.”

Slaughter had two of VSU’s three hits.

“We have really struggled, offensively, this whole month,” Guilliams said. “It’s kind of like a slump; it’s easy to get into it, it’s hard to get out.

“Our players just aren’t playing with a lot of confidence, and I think it’s showing in our play.”

David Robins and Dylan Moore each his home runs for Union. Moore finished with three hits with two RBIs and scored two runs. Ryne Roper had two hits and added an RBI. Nolen Milton scored two runs.

Teddy Christie (6-1) earned the win on the mound for the Bulldogs, pitching four innings while allowing two hits for two runs with two strikeouts and four walks. Marty Coursey made the save, surrendering one hit for no runs with four strikeouts and a walk in three innings.

The Blazers went through three different pitchers. Austin Hamilton (3-3) started and lasted five innings. He gave up seven hits for three runs with six strikeouts and walked one.

UP NEXT

VSU closes out its weekend series against Union in today’s Game 3. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Billy Grant Field at Tommy Thomas Park.