B_Mo_GSCTourneyHomer
3
West Florida UWF 38-14
5
Winner Valdosta State VSUSB 39-10-2
West Florida UWF
38-14
3
Final
5
Valdosta State VSUSB
39-10-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
West Florida UWF 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 8 2
Valdosta State VSUSB 0 0 4 0 1 0 X 5 8 2

W: Calhoun, Caitlyn (27-4) L: Becca Taylor (14-7)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Advances in GSC Tourney With 5-3 Win Over UWF

FLORENCE, Ala. – The Valdosta State softball team got off to a slow start in their first matchup of the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Thursday in Florence, Ala. but a pair of homers in the fourth by Kiley Rusen and Heather Robinson opened up a 4-1 advantage for VSU and led to a 5-3 victory over West Florida.
 
West Florida struck first in the contest after Meghan Toney doubled to left, advanced to third on a ground ball off the bat of Rhiannon Sassman, and came in to score when Kathleen Smiley followed one batter later with a two-out single to left.
 
The Blazers fired right back, however, when Danielle Patterson reached on an error and moved into scoring position on a single by Jaime Phillips. Rusen took advantage of the opportunity and swung the game back in VSU's favor with a monster blast over the right field wall. During the same inning, Robinson's solo blast with two away gave the Blazers some cushion and improved their lead to 4-1.
 
In the fourth, Chelsy Krantz ripped a double down the left field line, and Caitlin Steel followed with a base hit to center to trim UWF's deficit to 4-2. The VSU defense halted the two-out rally however, when Rusen cutoff Taylor Hartenbach's throw from center field and gunned down Steel as she tried to take second base.
 
Blazer starter Caitlyn Calhoun was afforded an insurance run to work with after Brandy Morgan swung at the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the fifth inning and launched it over the right center field wall for her 11th of the season. The solo shot opened up a 5-2 lead for Valdosta State and gave Calhoun all she would need to pick up her 27th win of the season.
 
Calhoun allowed eight hits in the contest, but scattered most of the hits to limit West Florida's damage. Calhoun's four strikeouts in the contest lifted her season total to 226 and her career total to 564, which places her just 16 strikeouts behind Keri Newton, VSU's all-time strikeout leader.
 
With the win, Valdosta State improved to 39-10-2 on the season, while the Argonauts fell to 38-14.
 
The Blazers advance in the winners' bracket to face top-seeded North Alabama at 4:00 p.m. EST.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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