VALDOSTA, Ga.  – The No. 24-ranked Valdosta State Gulf South Conference softball series finale versus Shorter finished with a 10-4 VSU victory in five innings as the game was eventually called due to weather.  The Blazers posted six runs in the bottom of the fifth for the win. 
 
VSU improved to 8-3 on the year and 3-0 in GSC play, while Shorter fell to 0-8  and 0-3 in league play.  The Blazers recorded ten runs on eight hits with one error, as senior Logan Hill belted two home runs in the game, going 2 for 4 with three runs scored, four RBI and two walks.  Sophomore Kiley Robb went 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI after she had a career day on Saturday.  Robb finished the series 7 of 10 from the dish with five runs scored, one double and three home runs, while driving in eight.  L. Hill finished 5 of 7 from the plate with a team-high six runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and four RBI, while slugging 1.857. She walked four times and reached base at an .811 clip.
 
The team  hit .382 against Shorter for the series, while holding the Hawks to a .180 clip.  VSU was 26 of 68 from the plate, scoring 24 runs with eight doubles, seven home runs and 23 RBI.  The team slugged .809 and reached base at a .494 clip with 13 walks and three hit batsmen.   Sophomore Samantha Richards went 2-0 in two relief appearances on the mound, including Sunday.  She pitched 5.1 innings, allowing two hits, no runs, walked one and fanned ten.
 
In the bottom of the first, a walk to leadoff hitter junior Nicole Pennington followed by a two run blast to right center from L. Hill for her fourth round-tripper of the season and a 2-0 lead for the Blazers after a brief rain shower moved through just before the game began.  With one out in the bottom of the second, senior Natalia Bellinger laced an RBI double to left center on a 1-2 count for a 3-0 lead. 
 
The Hawks had a walk and a sacrifice bunt in the top of the third for one in scoring position with one away.  A miscue by the Blazers plated a run as Kaylee Combs reached on the error for a 3-1 score.  VSU turned the fifth double play of the season to get out of the inning.
 
L.  Hill put her second ball in the parking lot with a solo home run with one away in the bottom of the third for her second home run of the game.  It marked her second game of the season with multiple home runs (Embry-Riddle, Feb. 8). 
 
Senior Avery Lamb went to the mound for freshman Morgan Hill to begin the fourth inning.  Hill pitched three innings, allowing out hit, one unearned run, walked two and fanned two.  An infield single, hit batsmen and sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with one out for the Hawks.  Then, Paytn Cripps belted a three-run home run to center for a 4-4 score.  A walk and another infield single chased Lamb from the game in favor of sophomore Samantha Richards. 
 
Shorter went to the bullpen to begin the bottom of the inning as Julie Sanderlin replaced Shelby Young, who went thee innings, allowing four hits, four earned runs and walked two.  Sanderlin gave up a two out hit, but a foul out down the right field line ended the Blazer threat. 
 
A single to center from senior Jordenne Gaten and a walk to L. Hill began the bottom of the fifth as the rain began to pick up a bit.  The second wild pitch of the inning put runners at second and third for the Blazers.  Sophomore Kiley Robb singled to center plating Gaten for a 5-4 score.  A sacrifice bunt from senior Lacey Crandall moved the runners to second and third.  A wild pitch plated L. Hill for a 6-4 score.  Senior Haley Garrett doubled off the wall, plating two more runs for an 8-4 score.  Courtney Pinkston relived Sanderlin with two on and one out for the Blazers as the rain became much harder.  A walk and a fielder's choice put the potential winning run at the plate in Gaten.  Gaten walked for a 9-4 score, as did L. Hill for a 10-4 VSU lead. VSU was unable to get the final two runs for the run-rule win, sending the game to the sixth.  However, the rain got harder and the game was stopped to tarp the field. 

About 30 minutes later in the delay, the game was eventually called as it had finished the required five innings to be counted as a complete game. Sanderlin (0-2) took the loss for the Hawks, while Cripps was 1 for 3 with a run scored and three RBI on the home run to lead the team. 
 
VSU returns to the road next weekend in a key GSC series at Auburn Montgomery.  The Blazers then will return home to host Albany State on Feb. 25 with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.