By Chelsie Kenworthy
Asst. Sports Editor
Union’s baseball team competed in its first Gulf South Conference series this season against University of West Alabama March 2-3 at University of West Alabama in Livingston.
Preparing for the first conference game of the season is always rigorous for any team; preparing for the first conference game of the season never having faced a certain team before is a little more challenging.
“Since we didn’t know anything about the team, we just had to go about it preparing like we always do,” said pitcher Benjie Fesmire, senior business administration major. “We just worked on our own game and how we always play it. Baseball is a game where you really have to play your own game and not worry about the other team too much. The team that executes [its] game and style of playing will usually win.”
The first and second game of the series took place Saturday at Tartt Field. The Bulldogs went scoreless in the first seven innings of the game.
During the top of the eighth inning, first baseman Jim Martin singled to right field with men on first and second, allowing Union to score its first run of the game.
Union scored its second run in the top of the ninth inning but that run was not enough; Union lost the first game 9-2.
In its second game against West Alabama, the Bulldogs only scored runs in the third and fifth innings. They were out-hit by the Tigers 9-5 in the second game and 15-3 in the first game.
In the third game of the series, which took place Sunday, the Bulldogs tied the Tigers 2-2 in the sixth and seventh innings.
At the top of the eighth inning, West Alabama outfielder Josh Podoris hit a home run, putting West Alabama in the lead.
Union ended up losing the third game to the Tigers 3-2.
The Bulldogs are now on a three-game losing streak and have zero wins within the Gulf South Conference.
“We had several opportunities to win the game today,” said right fielder Hunter Smith. “We just didn’t get the big hit when we needed it. Derek Roof pitched a good game, we just didn’t execute when we had the opportunity.”
The Bulldogs have now competed in 11 games, and their current record is 3-8 overall and 0-3 in the conference, having recently played and defeated Southern Arkansas University, which was ranked No. 14 with a record of 12-3.
The Bulldogs played their next game at home Tuesday against Trevecca Nazarene University. Results were not available at press time.