ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The No. 12 Valdosta State softball team split two games on Opening Day at the Flagler Invitational, falling 1-0 to Flagler and defeating Ursuline, 9-1 in a run-rule, six-inning game Friday.
 
The Blazers (1-1) hit .280 for the day with 14 hits, nine runs scored and five doubles.  VSU stole six bases and held the opposition to a .195 batting average, surrendering eight hits and two runs.
 
Four different Blazers had two hits each for the day as freshman Aniston Gano went 2 for 5 with a run scored, one double and three RBI, earning Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game in the win over Ursuline, while sophomore Hunter Meadows earned Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors in the opener, going 1 for 2 with a stolen base.
 
VSU will face Georgia Southwestern Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and Ursuline again at 4 p.m., to conclude the tournament.  Fans can access links to live stats and video streaming at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.
 
Flagler 1, #12 Valdosta State 0
After the Lady Blazers went down in order in the top of the first, the defense came up big in the bottom of the frame.  NaJah Gerrald singled up the middle to begin the game for the Saints, but was gunned down trying to steal second on a great throw from senior catcher Lacey Crandall to senior Nicole Pennington.  From there, VSU sophomore Samantha Richards fanned two for the final two outs of the frame.
 
On an 0-2 count to begin the bottom of the second inning, Kyleigh Taylor took Richards yard for a 1-0 Flagler lead.  It was the second home run of the season for the Saints as Flagler defeated Ursuline 14-1 on Thursday.  The Saints moved a runner to third with two out, but Richards got out of the inning without further damage.
 
VSU put the leadoff hitter on in the top of the third as freshman Taylor Macera singled down the left field line.  An infield single from junior Baylee Everson followed as the Blazers had two on with nobody out.  Following an out, a miscue by the Saints kept runners at first and second as freshman Morgan Hill reached on the error.  A sacrifice bunt from Meadows put runners at second and third with two away.  Flagler pitcher Kyra Gipson got out of the jam with a groundout as VSU stranded two in scoring position.
 
With one out in the top of the sixth, Meadows singled up the middle for the fourth hit of the game for the Blazers.  Meadows then stole second and advanced to third on the second out.  Gipson, once again, was able to get out of the jam unscathed as she got Pennington to fly out to center for the third out as VSU left the tying run stranded at third for the second time.  To that point, VSU left four stranded and three in scoring position.
 
Richards kept the deficit at 1-0 heading to the Blazers' last at bat in the seventh as she worked around a double in the bottom of the sixth.  Gipson retired the Blazers in order for the win.
 
Richards (0-1) took the loss, going six innings, allowing one earned run on six hits, walked one and fanned four.  Gipson (2-0) went seven innings for the shutout, scattering four hits and fanned two.
 
VSU (0-1) had four hits for the game by four different players, while Flagler (2-0) was led by Taylor as she was 2 for 3 with the game winning home run in the second inning. 
 
#12 VALDOSTA STATE 9, URSULINE 1 (6 Innings)
Both teams struggled to find offense early as sophomore Kiley Robb belted a double to left center and freshman Aniston Gano moved to third with one out.  Like in the first game, VSU was unable to come up with the timely knock to drive in a run, leaving two stranded in scoring position.
 
A strikeout/wild pitch from Ursuline pitcher Ashlee Zientek put freshman Kayla Tosone on first in the top of the third with nobody out.  M. Hill reached on a fielder's choice and stole both second and third with two out.  Once again, the Blazers were unable to capitalize with a runner at third.
 
Senior Logan Hill tallied her first hit of the season with a single up the middle to begin the top of the fourth.  Hill moved to second on a passed ball and then Gano doubled off the wall for an RBI and moved to third on an error with nobody out.  With one way, sophomore Carly Joiner doubled home Gano for a 2-0 lead. 
 
Ursuline (0-2) put two on in the bottom of the fourth, but M. Hill navigated her way through it without surrendering a hit in the frame.  In the fifth, a single from Tosone began the inning, followed by a M. Hill hit, moving Tosone to third.  Meadows grounded out for a 3-0 lead and an RBI, while Pennington doubled home M. Hill for a 4-0 advantage. 
 
Following a pitching change from the Arrows, the Blazer offense kept going as L. Hill doubled home Pennington for a 5-0 lead.  VSU plated four more runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by a two RBI single up the middle from Gano.
 
M. Hill got the first two UC batters out quickly with a strikeout and a ground out, but Jovanna Herrera broke up the no-hitter with a single to right center.  Alyssa Baratta doubled, plating Herrera for a 9-1 score.  M. Hill retired the next batter to end the game.
 
Along with Gano offensively, L. Hill went 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI.  VSU went 5 for 5 in the game in stolen bases, while five different Blazers had doubles.  Meadows and Pennington each drove in two runs, while Pennington and Tosone each scored twice to lead the team.
 
M. Hill (1-0) went all six innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, walked two and fanned six. Zientek took the loss, going 4.1 innings, allowing seven hits, five earned runs and fanned three.