MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The No. 19 Valdosta State softball team closed a three-game series at Montevallo with a 5-4 win Sunday to win the season series.  VSU improved to 27-12 overall and 10-10 in Gulf South Conference play, while Montevallo fell to 22-21 and 11-13 in league play.
 
VSU scored five runs on six hits with one error, while UM had four runs on seven hits.  Blazer sophomore Caylie Van Auken went seven innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs, walked one and fanned four as she improved to 11-4 on the year.  Junior Jordenne Gaten went 2 for 2 with a run scored, two RBI, along with a double and a home run.  Junior Haley Garrett went 1 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBI. 
 
UM's Carlee Mullinax went 2 for 3 with a run scored and three RBI, including a double and a home run.  Falcon starting pitcher Mychael McMillan went just 0.2 innings, allowing two hits, three earned runs, walked one and fanned one as the Blazers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and a 5-0 lead through two frames.
 
Highlighting the first inning, Gaten belted her ninth home run of the season and second of the series, along with a RBI single from sophomore Kiley Robb for a 3-0 lead.  Garrett then blasted her team-leading tenth round-tripper of the year for two runs and a 5-0 lead in the second. 
 
UM's Marisa Sosa hit a RBI double to right in the third inning for a 5-1 score and Mullinax blasted a three-run shot in the fourth for a 5-4 score.  In the bottom of the sixth, UM had the potential tying run at second with one out, but Van Auken induced a pair of line outs to get out of the jam.
 
In the seventh, an error by the Blazers put the tying run on base, but Van Auken and the Blazer "D" came up with a double play to end the game for the win. 
 
The Blazers return home to host Christian Brothers Apr. 13-14, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 13 at 1 p.m. at Steel's Diamond.