Box Score BLUEFIELD, W. Va. – Bluefield held its first leads of the season, but four straight scores from visiting Union College (Ky.) in the second and third quarters gave the Bulldogs enough breathing room to close out the Mid-South Conference East Division contest, 45-35, Saturday evening at Mitchell Stadium.
 
The Rams (0-7, 0-3 MSC East) returned to its run-heavy offense as they totaled 420 yards on the ground—a modern era program record. Bluefield was led by the 1-2 punch of Adrian Pope and Sam Bennett, racking up 155 and 141 yards, respectively. The pair of 100-yard rushing games is a first for the program since its return.
 
Bluefield only attempted eight passes on the evening, with one 13-yard completion. However, the Rams once again had costly second-half turnovers, throwing one of their two interceptions in the third quarter and losing a fourth quarter fumble—both of which came on the Union half of the field.
 
Pope started the game's scoring on Bluefield's second drive by busting through the Bulldogs' defense for a 61-yard touchdown.
 
After three-and-outs from both Union (2-5, 1-1 MSC East) and Bluefield, the Bulldogs climbed on the board thanks to good field position, starting at the BC 35. Facing third-and-five, Chandler Whittlesey found Jared Smith for a 30-yard touchdown, to tie BC 7-7 after the extra point from Alex Sigmon.
 
Two more three-and-outs ensued, before the Rams took their second lead of the contest. Sam Bennett broke free for a 54-yard run before being forced out of bounds, while rushes from Joshua Erby and finally Marion Harris pushed BC into the endzone for a second time. Harris' eight-yard rush, plus Caleb Frye's point after gave the Rams a 14-7 lead.
 
Union and then Bluefield both failed on fourth-down conversions on the next two drives before Union knotted the game once again. This time, Whittlesey found Domonique Jefferson for a 24-yard completion on third-and-seven.
 
The Rams didn't take long to answer, though, as Bennett took one play and covered 83 yards for the score. The 83-yard play is the Rams' longest since the program's return. However, Frye's PAT attempt sailed wide, giving BC a 20-14 lead.
 
Union then strung together some of its strongest play of the evening, as they converted scores on five of six possessions, with its one non-scoring possession being a received punt as time ran off in the first half. They posted touchdowns with 3:31 and 1:27 remaining in the second quarter, opened the second half with a field goal, then tacked on two more touchdowns with 3:48 left in the third and capping a drive in the fourth quarter with a touchdown as 14:06 remained in the game. Ten of those points came off BC interceptions.
 
The Bulldogs' final score of the first half caught BC off guard, as the Bulldogs set up in formation for a field goal attempt. However, Domonique Jefferson stood to the sideline and a quick UC snap set up the toss from Levi Wilson to the open Jefferson.
 
Meanwhile, the Rams were kept off the scoreboard in the third until 2:20 remained, as Pope exploded through the line of scrimmage and went for a 42-yard touchdown. Pope's score and the successful two-point conversion on an Erby rush brought the score to 38-28, Union.
 
Union started the fourth with the previously mentioned touchdown, a 40-yard rush for Brian Clark, who finished with a game high 184 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs also posted a pair of 100-yard rushers, as Whittlesey went for 108 on the night.
 
Bluefield closed out the game's scoring with a 29-yard run from Rodrell Smith, to close the advantage to 10 once again, 45-35.
 
The Rams had their chances in the closing portions of the quarter as well, but couldn't convert to put pressure on the Bulldogs.
 
Devin Dean picked off a Hogan Goodson pass with under 10 minutes in the game, but the Rams turned the ball back over after a Bennett Fumble on the Union 23-yard line.
 
BC got good field position after a poor punt from UC, but a fourth-and-three attempt from the Union 17 with 3:00 minutes remaining was unsuccessful.
 
From there, the Bulldogs were able to run the clock out.
 
The teams combined for 977 yards of total offense. Union tossed for 232, led by 191 yards from Whittlesey and totaled 312 yards on the ground.
 
Frank Brooks totaled 99 kickoff return yards for the Rams, including a 49-yard return.
 
Ramir Hollis led BC's defense with eight tackles, followed by Robert Boatright with seven and Frank Brooks and Cordell Johns with five apiece. Ryan Shipley recorded a game high 10 stops on the night for the visitors.
 
Both teams tallied three sacks, with BC's Boatright, Tanner Gilleland and Jonathan Toe wrapping up UC quarterbacks.
 
Bluefield returns to the road next week, as they take on Commonwealth opponent, Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.