ROME -- The Hawks earned the doubleheader split with Valdosta State Saturday afternoon, falling in the opener 6-2, before taking the finale 2-0.

For the day the teams combined for 47 total strikeouts between the two games.

In the opener the Blazers (15-6, 7-4 GSC) took the lead in the first inning and Kendall Herron scored on a stolen base and an error by Shorter's catcher, Jack Leech. And, added to it in the third as Herron came in on a ground out from Tyler Homer. Before making it a 4-0 game with a run in the fifth on an RBI single from Dalton Murray and a home run for Ryan Slaughter in the sixth.

Shorter broke through in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead in half on a 2RBI double from Dustin Lawson. But, that was all the offense the Hawks would get as the Blazers added two more in the eighth to take the game 6-2.

Lawson was the lone Hawk to record a hit in the game, tallying two.

Banks Woodley took the loss for Shorter, allowing four runs on eight hits with a walk and seven strike outs.

The Hawks scored first in game two, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Leech. And, made it a 2-0 game in the fifth on a homerun from Blaze Vazquez – his third of the season.

Lawson, Leech and Vazquez accounted for Shorter's three hits.

Both pitchers went the distance in the game, combining for 23 strikeouts. Jacob Ramos earned the win for the Hawks, holding the Blazers scoreless on two hits with a three walks and 11 strikeouts.