HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (0-5, 0-0 SWAC) dropped a doubleheader against Valparaiso (3-1,0-0 MVC), falling 9-2 in the opener and a narrow 3-2 decision in the second game on Friday, February 25 in a pair of  NCAA Division I baseball games.
 
GAME 1: Valparaiso 9, Alabama A&M 2
Following a scoreless top of the first inning, the Bulldogs would register a run as sophomore infielder Trevor Berkemeyer (Las Vegas, Nev.) singled through the left side to bring home sophomore infielder Chandler Stocking (Midway, Utah) for a 1-0 lead.
 
The Beacons would not respond in the top of the second and AAMU would double that margin in the home half of the inning as freshman third base man Jalen Ford (Birmingham, Ala.)  delivered an RBI to drive home graduate outfielder Nemo Wright (PG County, Md.) for a 2-0 advantage.
 
Valpo would get on the scoreboard in the third inning as Brady Renfro doubled down the right field line to bring home Kaleb Hannahs to cut the score to 2-1. Following a scoreless third, the Beacons answered in the fourth with a pair of runs to flip the switch and take a 3-2 lead.
 
Neither team would score during the fifth but Valpo would have an offensive outburst in the sixth with four runs that included two RBIs from Renfro for a 7-2 advantage. They would extend the score with two more runs in the seventh and final inning to wrap up the 9-2 decision.
 
Renfro led the Beacons with a 2-of-4 day that included a home run, three RBIs and one run scored while DiFederico was 3-of-5 with two RBIs and a run. Hannahs went 2-for-2 with an RBI and one run scored and Alex Ryan went 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI to round out the top offensive performers. Trent Turzenski started and threw seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out seven to move to 1-1. 
 
Both Berkemeyer and Ford led the Bulldog with an RBI, and went 3-for-2 while junior infielder CJ Mervilus (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was three-of-one with one run being scored. Sophomore pitcher Tyler Campbell (Albuquerque, N.M.) threw four innings, striking out five and allowed three earned runs to fall to 0-2. 

GAME 2: Valparaiso 3, Alabama A&M 2
The Beacons would waste no time getting on the scoreboard in the nightcap with two RBI's from Kyle Schmack for a 2-0 advantage in the first. The score would be unbothered by both teams in the second before Valpo stretched the score with a run as Spencer Warfield reached on a fielding error and allowed Renfro to score for a 3-0 advantage at the top of the third.
 
The score would remain that way until the bottom of the fifth when the Bulldogs answered loudly as sophomore catcher Dilion Roop (New Market, Ala.) drove a ball deep over the right field fence to bring home freshman outfielder Janmikell Bastardo (Fort Myers, Fla.) to cut the deficit to 3-2.

From there the Beacons defense would lock in over the final two innings to secure the narrow 3-2 victory.
 
Schmack led Valpo with a 2-for-3 day that saw him drive home two and score one of his own while Hannahs went 1-for-41 with a run and Renfro was 1-for-3 with one run scored.
 
Collin Fields pitched five innings allowing two runs while striking out seven to move to 1-0. That victory was sealed by Bobby Nowack as he came in and struck out the side to notch his second save of the season.
 
Roop led the Bulldogs with a 2-for-3 day that included his first career homerun along with two RBIs and a run scored while Bastardo was 1-for-3 with a run. Junior pitcher Josue Torres (Cidra, Puerto Rico) started and threw four innings allowing two earned runs while striking out six to fall to 0-2 on the young season.
 
AAMU will wrap up the series against Valparaiso with a 12 p.m. first pitch at Bulldog Field on Sunday, February 27.