CLEARWATER, Fla. – The No. 22 Valdosta State softball team improved to 8-0 on the year with a 1-0 win over Azusa Pacific Saturday afternoon in the fourth game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic marking the fourth shutout of the weekend and fifth shutout of the season.  VSU improved to 3-0 in games decided by one run this season. 
 
VSU plated the lone run of the game in the fifth inning as junior Haley Garrett hit a one out single and moved into position with a stolen base.  She then moved to third on a ground out, followed by a RBI single from junior Jordenne Gaten, plating Garrett for a 1-0 lead.  The Blazers had a chance for more in the bottom of the sixth with two on, but was unable to add any insurance runs.
 
Down to their final at bat, the Cougars made the Blazers work for it as a leadoff single and a fielder's choice put two on with nobody out.  Making her first start of the season on the mound, junior Avery Lamb calmly got a pop out and fanned her seventh and eighth batters of the game for the win. 
 
Lamb (1-0) fanned eight and scattered three hits for the game as she fanned eight with no strikeouts, marking the eighth-straight game VSU has not allowed a walk.  VSU tallied four hits in the game.  Racqual Espinoza (1-2) took the loss in six innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, walked four and fanned one.    
 
VSU concludes the tournament Sunday at 11 a.m. against Tampa.  Links to live stats can be found on vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.  Check back following the game for a complete recap and stats of the game.