VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State Blazers used a record-setting no-hitter in game one and a rare come-from-behind victory in game two to claim a doubleheader sweep (12-0, 6-3) over the Young Harris Mountain Lions in non-conference softball action on Tuesday afternoon at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.
The victory helped lift the Blazers overall record to 36-2, while the Mountain Lions saw their record drop to 21-11 on the year. Valdosta State improved their current winning streak to 26 games after the pair of wins.
In game one, Valdosta State took a huge lead early with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. The five-run spot came on five hits for the Blazers and the inning was highlighted by a two-run shot to left center field off the bat of freshman
Brandy Morgan. The long ball marked the ninth of the season for the Jasper, Fla. native.
Caitlyn Calhoun held the opposition hitless for the second time in four days and claimed her fourth no-hitter of the year, which set a new Gulf South Conference record for total no-hitters in one season. The record previously belonged to both Sandy Morgan of West Florida and Lane Davis of Alabama-Huntsville, who each threw three no-no's in 1999 and 2000, respectively.
The win improved Calhoun to 21-1 on the year and dropped her season ERA to 0.80. She has now thrown 22 complete games, 14 shutouts, and she holds a streak of 20 consecutive wins, which places her third in the GSC record books and just one game away from tying Whitney Hawkins of Alabama-Huntsville (2009) in second place.
Valdosta State gave Calhoun plenty of breathing room in the fourth with another big inning in which
Jaime Phillips belted a leadoff long ball to left center to spark a seven run inning on four hits and one YHC error.
In the nightcap, the Blazers scored quickly again when
Fran Johnson hit a triple in the first inning and promptly scored on a
Kiley Rusen single. The RBI base hit for the red hot Rusen accounted for one of her three hits on the day and put VSU in front 1-0.
One inning later, Valdosta State tacked on an additional run after
Chelsea Canara doubled to right center in the first at-bat of the second inning and came around to score on a
Morgan Butler sacrifice bunt that resulted in an errant throw to first base.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, Young Harris produced a scare for the Blazers with a two-run homer off the bat of Chandler Stooksbury, followed by a Sydnee Weaver RBI single later in the frame. The three-run inning forced
Huntyre Elling from the game and afforded the Mountain Lions a 3-2 lead. Before coughing up the lead, the Blazers had not trailed an opponent since March 7
th against North Alabama.
Young Harris' held on to the advantage until the bottom of the fifth, when Johnson delivered one of the biggest swings of the day that lifted a game-tying solo shot into the parking lot beyond the left field wall. Johnson's eighth round tripper of the season ignited a three-run fifth that was capped off by two-run double off the bat of
Heather Robinson, which put VSU in front 5-3.
The Blazers sealed the win in the sixth with an RBI single by Johnson to center field.
Brandi Blount, who pinch ran for
Morgan Butler after a leadoff single to left, scored on the base hit, which placed Johnson one double shy of the cycle in game two.
Maci Fletcher, who came on in relief in the fourth, dealt 3.2 innings for Valdosta State without allowing a run to improve her record to 5-1 on the year.
Valdosta State hits the road this weekend for a big three-game set against the Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville. The series is set to kick off in Huntsville, Ala. on Friday at 3:00 p.m. EST for a doubleheader opener, followed by a 2:00 p.m. EST finale on Saturday.
