VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State softball team used some gutsy pitching and a strong defensive effort to scratch out a 1-0 Gulf South Conference victory over Lee in the weekend series opener on Friday evening at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.

Starter Kasie Johnson pitched herself out of two jams in the opening two innings, leaving two Lee runners stranded in the first and three stranded in the second. From that point on, the righty settled in for two smooth innings.

In the fifth, with the game still tied at 0-0, the Flames got a leadoff single from their number nine hitter Kayla Louie, who was thrown out at second during the next play on a botched sacrifice bunt attempt by Stevie Baird. With one out and one aboard, Lily Hatcher and Brooklynn Frazier loaded the bases with back-to-back walks. Head Coach Thomas Macera called on sophomore Kathryn Carter, who induced a Taylor Moran fielder's choice and struck out Leigh Beatenbough to strand all three Lee baserunners.

The Blazers carried the momentum provided by Carter into the bottom half of the fifth, when Taylor Hartenbach slapped her 13th double of the season down the left field line. With two away, Cassey Cornelius delivered a clutch base hit back through the middle and gave the Blazer pitching staff the one run it needed.

Carter notched the victory to improve to 11-3 on the season, while Lee's Beatenbough, who held the Blazers to just four hits in the game, claimed the tough loss to fall even at 7-7 on the year. Valdosta State is now 27-8 overall on the season and 13-6 in GSC play. Meanwhile, the Flames fell to 17-19 overall and dropped to 7-12 in league action on the season.

Valdosta State will return to action on Saturday with a doubleheader finale, slated for a 1:00 p.m. start at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.