COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Valdosta State softball team used a strong defensive performance and two stellar pitching efforts to start their season off on the right foot with a pair of non-conference victories over Augusta State (2-0) and Columbus State (1-0) in the Peach Belt/Gulf South Crossover in Columbus, Ga. on Saturday afternoon.
The Blazers and the Jaguars combined for just four hits on the day, and the contest took extra frames to determine a winner after both teams were held scoreless through seven innings of action.
The deciding swing came from
Jaime Phillips in the top of the eighth inning, when the All-American senior clubbed a double to left field to score both
Taylor Hartenbach, who opened up the inning with a walk, and
Chelsea Canara, who reached on a bunt single.
Caitlyn Calhoun closed out the shutout in the bottom half of the eighth after sandwiching a pop up and a fly out around a nine pitch strikeout. The winning effort for Calhoun included 11 strikeouts and opened up the senior at 1-0 on the year.
Game two featured another pitching duel that ended in favor of senior
Huntyre Elling, who scattered three Jaguar hits over seven innings and held Augusta scoreless.
The shutout allowed the Blazers to escape with the win, despite scoring only one run in the contest. The deciding run came quickly for the Blazers, after Phillips was hit by a pitch to open the game, advanced to second on a
Kiley Rusen walk, moved up to third on an illegal pitch, and crossed the plate by way of a passed ball.
The one run was all that was needed for Elling, who posted who fourth career shutout to open up her 2016 campaign at 1-0.
Phillips finished 3-of-5 with a pair of walks, while
Brandy Morgan,
Danielle Patterson, and
Chelsea Canara each added hits over the course of the day's two games.
Valdosta State will take their 2-0 record into the second day of the tournament on Sunday, with a 2:00 p.m. matchup against Armstrong Atlantic, followed by a 4:30 p.m. showdown against the No. 1 ranked Nighthawks of North Georgia.
