VALDOSTA, Ga. - Jessica Mohl delivered another late-inning extra base hit to plate the game-winning run in the sixth inning of a 6-5 win for the Valdosta State softball team in Sunday's series finale against the Shorter Hawks at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.
The victory secured a weekend sweep of the Hawks and lifted Valdosta State to 36-9 on the season, 22-7 against league opponents. Meanwhile, Shorter saw their record fall to 16-24 on the year and 11-18 in Gulf South Conference play.
Shorter struck first in the top of the second inning, when Dani Lukas belted a solo home run over the left center field wall with two outs. The run put the Hawks up 1-0, but the Blazers answered one inning later with three runs in the bottom of the third. Danielle Patterson started the surge for the VSU offense with a bunt single, before Mohl moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Taylor Hartenbach followed with a productive groundout to the right side, and Brandy Morgan added a walk to put runners at the corners. Morgan proceeded to steal second base, which drew a throw and allowed Patterson to cross and tie the game at 1-1. In the same at bat, Heather Robinson clubbed a towering homer over the left field wall to put VSU up 3-1.
Shorter plated another run on Kaylee Combs' third homer of the weekend in the top of the fourth, before Lacey Crandall sparked another Blazer rally in the bottom of the same inning with a leadoff single down the right field line. After pinch running for Crandall, Day scored later in the half inning from third on a squeeze bunt by Danielle Patterson to give Valdosta State a 4-2 edge.
For the second consecutive inning, the Blazers used a squeeze bunt to plate an additional run, which proved to be important after the Hawks scored three runs on four hits to tie the game up at 5-5 in the top of the sixth.
Mohl's aforementioned game-winning double, which marked her league-high 18th,  drove in Patterson, who scored all the way from first base after reaching on a bunt single in the prior at bat.
Kathryn Carter, who dealt for 6.0 innings, picked up her third win of the weekend to improve to 14-3 on the year. Kasie Johnson came on with the one run advantage in the seventh to close out the contest and earn her first save of the year.
The Blazers will conclude their home schedule on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Albany State. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
