ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The No. 12 Valdosta State softball team scored seven runs in the top of the seventh, breaking a 0-0 tie for a 7-1 victory against Georgia Southwestern Saturday in the Flagler Invitational.  VSU improved to 2-1 on the year, while GSW fell to 2-1. 
 
VSU's final game of the tournament was rained out in the bottom of the third inning with VSU leading Ursuline, 8-0.  The game didn't reach the required five innings to count as a regulation game, therefore it will not be made up.
 
The Blazers had a season-high 12 hits against GSW as eight different players recorded hits, while four different players had multi-hit games.  Senior Lacey Crandall went 2 for 4 with a run scored and drove in three to lead the team, earning the Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honor.  She had her first home run of the season and had one of two doubles for the Blazers.  Senior Logan Hill went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI, while freshman Taylor Macera was 2 for 4 with a run scored and drove in a run. Freshman Morgan Hill also had two hits, going 2 for 5 with a run scored.  Sophomore hurler Samantha Richards picked up her first win of the season (1-1), going all seven innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, walked two and fanned eight. 
 
The lumber came alive just in time in the seventh inning with eight hits for the frame for the Blazers.  Crandall began the decisive inning with a home run to left for the first round-tripper of the season for the Blazers.  A pair of bunt singles and a walk followed to load the bases and junior Nicole Pennington singled through the left side for a 2-0 lead.  L. Hill laced a two RBI single to center for a 4-0 advantage as GSW made a pitching change.  Following the change in the circle, the momentum for the Blazers continued as Macera hit an RBI double and Crandall later doubled home two runs in her second at bat of the inning for the 7-0 lead.
 
Georgia Southwestern began the bottom of the seventh with a double from Zoe Willis for just the second hit of the game for the Hurricanes and first since the second inning.  Following a ground out and Willis advancing to third, Morgan Mulli hit a sacrifice fly to left field for a 7-1 score.  Richards retired the final batter for the victory and her second complete game of the season in as many starts. 
 
For the Hurricanes, who had beaten both Flagler and West Georgia Friday in the tournament, committed four errors in the game.  Starter Shannon Gibs (0-1) went six innings, allowing nine hits, six earned runs, walked one and fanned three, while reliever Ansley Dean registered all three outs in the seventh, allowing three hits, one earned run and struck out two.
 
Both teams left runners aboard in the second as GSW began the bottom of the frame with a double from Kayla Kerr.  With runners at second and third and one away, Richards recorded a pop out for the second out and then picked off Kerr at third to end the threat.
 
VSU had a great chance in the third, courtesy of two miscues by the 'Canes, but Gibs was able to get two big outs to get out of the jam. VSU left two more stranded in the fourth and one in the fifth, helped out by errors in both innings.
 
The Blazers and the Hurricanes are scheduled to meet in Valdosta later in the season for a doubleheader on Mar. 20.