OXFORD, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery baseball team's run in the 2021 Gulf South Conference Postseason Tournament came to an end on Saturday, May 8 at the hand's of a 7-6 loss to Valdosta State in 10 innings. 
 
With the loss, AUM's closes out 2021 with a record of 18-23 overall. 
 
Casey Henderson and Zach Feaster both tallied a team-high three base hits on Saturday, with C. Henderson driving in a pair of runs, scoring twice and slugging an RBI double in the third inning. Feaster also accounted for an RBI. 
 
Sage Smelley registered a pair of hits with a run scored while Quinterrious Arrington, Ethan Wells, and Matthew Marfice all drove in a run. Smelley and Marfice each socked a double in the setback.
 
Troy Jones (2-4) took the loss in relief. The senior righty surrendered just two earned runs over the final four innings while striking out three. Starter Micah Henderson scattered five runs over six innings on 91 pitches.
 
AUM cracked the scoreboard first in the contest, tallying a run in the bottom of the first on a one-out base hit from C. Henderson. Ceman led off the inning with a walk, followed by a sac bunt from Arrington before being brought home by C. Henderson's RBI knock. 
 
Valdosta State would answer back with four runs over their next two at-bats, with a run on an RBI double in the second and three runs on four hits in the third to go up 4-1.  
 
AUM responded their next time up in the bottom of the third, however, to trim their deficit to just 4-3. A C. Henderson RBI double, followed by a Feaster RBI single would account for the damage in the frame. 
 
Valdosta State added a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to go up 5-3, but the Warhawks would answer back with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game up at five-all. An RBI double from Marfice and an RBI single from Arrington paved the way for the Warhawks in the sixth. 
 
AUM retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI pinch-hit single from Wells. C. Henderson led off the frame with a single and stole second base before coming around on Well's hit to right field that put AUM up 6-5.
 
Valdosta State would load up the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth before bringing home the game's tying run on a sac fly to center to force extras. The Blazers knocked three two-out singles in the top of the 10th to score the eventual game-winning run. 
 
AUM batted .417 (14-34) on the day, but left eight runners on base. The Warhawk pitching staff stranded nine VSU runners in the setback.
 
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