PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 16 Valdosta State softball had one last at bat Friday morning in the continuation of the NCAA South Region softball game from Thursday as it fell 1-0 in nine innings to Tampa.  VSU now will play an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. ET Friday against Spring Hill College.
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats, audio/video streaming of the 3:30 ET game against Spring Hill College on the softball schedule page.  Spencer Van Horn will have the call of the game. 
 
Neither team could gain much of an advantage as VSU sophomore hurler Caylie Van Auken and Tampa starter Makaleigh Dooley were both on their game as all-region selections should be in the NCAA Tournament. 
 
VSU (35-17) put runners on base in each of the first four innings, including loading the bases in the fourth, but Tampa starter Makaleigh Dooley came up with a big pitch for a foul out on a 1-2 count with two out to stop the threat. 
 
In the eighth, rain started moving in and the teams had a brief 15-minute rain delay.  VSU got out of another runner on second jam Van Auken continued to pitch lights out for the Blazers.  In the bottom of the inning, sophomore Fallyn Johnson reached on an infield single and the third missed sacrifice bunt opportunity by the Blazers as junior Logan Hill then singled to left field moving Johnson to second.  Dooley then got a fly out to right field and a fly out to center field to end the threat. 
 
Tampa (33-11) used a leadoff double from Maddie Farrell to begin the top of the ninth.  After a strikeout by Van Auken, her eighth of the game, she got a ground out to second for the second out.  On a 0-1 count, Bailey Phillips laced a double to right center for a 1-0 Spartan lead.
 
The second rain delay followed just before the Blazers came to bat in the bottom of the ninth and this time there was lightning with the rain, prompting the suspension of the game until Friday morning. 
 
Dooley fanned junior Jordenne Gaten for the first out in the bottom of the ninth and then plunked Bellinger putting the tying run on base.  Dooley came back with two more strikeouts for 11 for the game to end it. 
 
VSU was shutout for the fourth time this season and the first time in back-to-back games as the Blazers have scored just four runs over the last 21 innings.  Despite that, the Blazers had chances against Tampa as it stranded ten on base and had the bases loaded once, while putting runners on in seven of the nine innings.
 
Van Auken (16-6) went a season-high nine innings as she allowed six hits, one earned run, walked two and fanned eight.  In the postseason, including the Gulf South Conference Championship and the NCAA South Regional, she has a 0.51 ERA, a 2-1 record in five appearances with two starts in 27.2 innings of work.  She has 21 strikeouts to just two walks as teams are hitting .196 against her. 
 
Dooley (27-7) earned the win as she went the distance, allowing eight hits, walked none and fanned 11.  F. Johnson went 2 for 4 for the Blazers, while Hill was 2 for 4.  Farrell was 2 for 3 as she scored the lone run of the game for the Spartans.