CLEARWATER, Fla. – The No. 22 Valdosta State softball team dropped a 2-1 decision to Tampa in the final game of the 2019 NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla.  VSU had its chances in the game, leaving seven on base in the loss.
 
The Blazers, 8-1, scored one run on five hits with one error, while Tampa (6-1) scored two runs on three hits with three miscues.  Junior Haley Garrett went 2 for 3 to lead the team, while junior Natalia Bellinger went 1 for 3 with the equalizing RBI in the bottom of the fifth. 
 
VSU senior starter Kasie Johnson, went just 1.1 innings, allowing one earned run, walked one and fanned one as she suffered her first loss of the season (3-1).  Following Johnson's departure, sophomore Caylie Van Auken pitched the remaining 5.2 innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, walked none and fanned five.  Tampa's Makaleigh Dooley went seven innings, allowing five hits one unearned run, walked none and fanned six. 
 
The Blazers were gifted by a miscue in the bottom of the first as junior Jordenne reached on an error to begin the inning, but the Blazers were unable to come up with the score.  In the second, VSU had its first walk of the season as Sam Worrell began the frame with a free pass.  She was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on an error.  Maddie Farrell came up with the RBI single for a 1-0 lead as Van Auken relieved Johnson following the score. 
 
In the fifth, Garrett hit a single to begin the inning and sophomore Fallyn Johnson, who pinch ran for Garrett, stole second.  An error moved F. Johnson to third and she scored on the Bellinger single.  Dooley got out of the two on jam with less than two outs with a strikeout and pop out for a 1-1 score. 
 
A one out double from the Spartans in the sixth put the eventual winning run on base, followed by a sacrifice bunt.  Van Auken got her fifth strikeout of the game for the second out, but Worrell, on a 2-2 count with two out, laced a single to left, plating the go ahead run. 
 
Down to the final at bat, Garrett came up with a single to begin the inning, but an out by batter's interference, foul out and strikeout ended the game. 
 
The Blazers return home to prepare for the beginning of Gulf South Conference play next Saturday-Sunday at Lee.  Game times are 1 p.m. for a doubleheader on Saturday and 1 p.m. for a single game on Sunday.  Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats, audio/video streaming and more.