VALDOSTA, Ga. – West Georgia hit six home runs en route to a doubleheader sweep of No. 15 Valdosta State Saturday in the first two games of the regular season finale at Steel's Diamond, spoiling the Senior Day festivities for the Blazers.  UWG won the opener 7-5 in eight innings, while winning the nightcap, 3-2. 
 
VSU fell to 32-14 overall and 13-12 in Gulf South Conference play, while UWG improved to 28-25 overall and 14-15 in league play.
 
The Wolves hit .288 for the twin bill, while VSU hit .255 as UWG used the long ball in the wins.  Five different Blazers had two hits each, but VSU had just two round-trippers on the day as freshman Carly Joiner hit her first collegiate home run and junior Taylor Strickland tallied her fourth of the season.  Strickland was 2 for 6 with a run scored and four RBI, while Joiner was 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI. 
 
For UWG, Peyton Stallworth was 4 for 7 for the day with two runs scored and a RBI, while Hannah Scarbrough and Madison Chambers each had two home runs in the game. Scarbrough was 5 of 9 from the dish with two runs scored and two RBI. 
 
Prior to the game, VSU honored senior Kasie Johnson, who is the lone senior on the team and has had an outstanding three-year career for the Blazers in the circle.  UWG jumped out to a 2-0 lead through the first three innings with a RBI single in the first and a home run from Raven Smith in the third for the first of four dingers for the Wolves in the game. 
 
VSU continued fighting and evened the game in the fourth as Strickland belted a two run shot to center for a 2-2 score.  UWG regained the lead in the sixth on Chambers' blast to left for two runs, but the Blazers had the answer in the bottom of the frame as a throwing error on the Wolves plated two runs.
 
As the back-and-forth affair continued in the seventh, UWG took the lead on Scarbrough's home run to begin the inning, while a sacrifice fly from sophomore Fallyn Johnson followed in the bottom of the inning for the Blazers.  Junior Logan Hill hit a double to center, but was unable to come around to score the winning run sending the game to extra-innings.
 
In the eighth, Chambers hit a two run blast to left field for a 7-5 lead as VSU went down in order in the bottom of the inning.  K. Johnson (14-5) took the loss in a complete game, allowing 11 hits, seven earned runs, walked two and fanned five.  UWG's reliever Morgan Goree (8-9) took the win in four innings of relief for starter Raya Moncus as Goree allowed four hits, three runs – one earned, walked one and fanned three. 
 
Strickland was 2 for 4 with a run scored and four RBI for the Blazers with the round-tripper.  Stallworth was 3 for 4 with two runs scored, while Chambers hit her two home runs on a 2 for 3 game with two runs scored and four RBI.
 
In the nightcap, UWG struck first once again, this time in the third inning and Scarbrough's second home run to begin the frame.  VSU matched with Joiner's blast in the bottom of the inning for a 1-1 score.
 
A throwing error on the Blazers keyed the run for the Wolves and 2-1 lead, but the Blazers had the answer in the fifth on Joiner's RBI single down the right field line for a 2-2 score. 
 
The sixth home run of the day for the Wolves proved to be the winner in the nightcap as Allie Parkerson went deep with one out in the sixth for a 3-2 lead.  VSU put two on in the bottom of the sixth with one out, but was unable to score. 
 
In the seventh, UWG put two on with two out, but sophomore hurler Caylie Van Auken came back with a ground out to third to end the threat.  In the bottom of the seventh, VSU put the tying run on base, but was unable to score. 
 
For the nightcap, F. Johnson went 2 for 3, while Joiner was 2  for 3 with a run scored and two RBI.  Scarbrough was 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI to lead the way for UWG. 
 
Goree (9-9) earned the win in the nightcap, allowing six hits in seven innings, two earned runs, walked one and fanned five.  Van Auken (14-5) took the loss in 5.1 innings, allowing four hits, three runs – two earned, walked two and fanned four.  Junior Avery Lamb pitched the final 1.2 innings for the Blazers.
 
VSU looks to salvage a win in the series in tomorrow's regular season finale at 1 p.m. at Steel's Diamond.  With a win, the Blazers will be the No. 4-seed in the upcoming Gulf South Conference Championship, May 2-5 at regular season champion West Florida.  With a loss, the Blazers will be the No. 6-seed.  UWG will be the No. 5-seed with a win and the No. 6-seed with a loss.  
 
Fans can access links to live stats and video streaming of the game Sunday at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.