Bulldogs split with Valley in final conference competition

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NORMAL -- The Alabama A&M baseball team split their doubleheader series with Mississippi Valley State, winning 6-5 but fell in game two, 8-7, at Bulldog field today in the final home contests of the season.

Both games provided excitement for the fans in attendance with the result favorable for the home team.

Game one opened with Valley ahead 1-0 after the top of the second. A&M answered when Austin Hulsey doubled to score Julio Nunez tying the game at one all. The Maroon and White then added three more runs to the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth to gain a 4-2 advantage.

The bottom of the fifth saw Hulsey and Andrew Utterback cross home plate to give A&M six runs compared to MVSU's four. Not to be out done the Devils went on to score two runs in the top of the sixth.

Valley scored one more in the seventh but AAMU was able to hold them scoreless the remaining of the contest winning 6-5.

As a team, A&M connected on eight hits. Nunez led the way with three RBIs and two runs. Hulsey finished with two hits and one run scored. Devin Smith earned the win after going five innings on the mound.

Game two was a little more dramatic as the contest was not decided until the bottom of the sixth inning.

After three innings of play the Maroon & White held a 5-2 advantage. The very next at bat saw Valley take control of the game with four runs in the bottom of fourth and two runs in the bottom six.

From there the Delta Devils defense stepped up and held AAMU to a run in the seventh when Hulsey tripled to centerfield then scored on a sacrifice fly from Utterback.

Benjamin Ryder registered the loss after giving up six runs on six hits in four innings.

The Bulldogs collected seven hits matching their run total. Hulsey, Utterback and Allen Smith each registered two hits. Hulsey finished with three runs and a RBI while Utterback posted a pair of RBI's and a run.

The 2014 edition of Bulldog baseball has eclipsed the 20 win mark for first time in its Division I era. They have registered the most wins all-time of any Alabama A&M baseball team since "The Hill" went D-I in 1999.

A&M will close out its regular season in Birmingham, Alabama when they meet with Samford University in a nine-inning affair on Tuesday, May 6, at 6:00 p.m

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