ROME, Ga. - The Valdosta State Blazer softball team capped off their opening Gulf South Conference series against Shorter on Sunday with an impressive 13-1 win in Rome, Ga.

The Blazers claimed the series win with the afternoon victory and improved to 11-2 overall, 2-1 against league competition. Shorter's defeat marked their second in three games at the hands of Valdosta State and dropped the Lady Hawks to 6-2 overall, 1-2 in GSC play.

Caitlyn Calhoun continued her impressive work so far this season after scattering eight hits over six innings pitched to hold the Lady Hawks to just one run scored. The junior hurler struck out nine batters in the contest, and her season total of 51 ranks second among all pitchers in the conference. In addition, Calhoun picked up her fifth win of the year with Sunday's triumph, which places her in a three-way tie for the most wins in the GSC.

The Blazer offense provided plenty of support at the plate, and the offensive outburst started quickly when Courtney Albritton stepped in the box to lead off the game and promptly launched her 70th career home run to give VSU a quick 1-0 lead.

Later in the inning, Heather Robinson dug in with the bases loaded and came through with a two-run single to center field to score Brandi Blount and Fran Johnson. The clutch hit by the Valdosta, Ga. native put the Blazers in front 3-0 before the first three outs of the game were recorded.

The three first inning runs were plenty for Calhoun on the day, but VSU blew the game wide open in the top of the sixth inning on one big swing by Jaime Phillips. Sophomore Halie Imler led off the frame with a pinch-hit walk, and Taylor Hartenbach was hit by a pitch during her pinch-hit at bat. With two aboard, Albritton worked a free pass to load the bases and set the table for Jaime Phillips, who crushed one over the left center field wall for her third homer of the season and her first career grand slam with Valdosta State.

VSU poured on later in the sixth with another RBI single for Robinson. Imler capped off the six-run inning with a bases loaded walk, which accounted for her second free pass of the inning. The surge put VSU on top 13-1 midway through the sixth, and Calhoun held Shorter scoreless in the bottom of the inning to give the Blazers the win by way of the eight-run mercy rule.

The Blazers racked up nine hits against four different Lady Hawk pitchers, and Kiley Rusen added to VSU's home run total with a solo shot in the fifth. Rusen's blast was her first of the season and accounted for just one of her three RBI's on the day.

Third baseman Jennifer Phillips saw her average climb to .314 on the year after a 2-for-3 effort, while Albritton reached safely three times in four plate appearances and scored three times in the game.

Upon the conclusion of the first weekend of conference play, Albritton currently leads the league in runs scored (21), hits (23), slugging percentage (1.095), and home runs (7).

The Blazers now turn their attention to the home opener next weekend, which kicks off on Saturday, February 21 with a 2:00 p.m. double header against the visiting Argonauts of West Florida.