VALDOSTA, Ga. – The No. 2 Valdosta State softball team blasted a school-record tying six home runs, including a walk-off grand slam from senior
Kiley Robb, for an 11-0 victory in six innings in the opener of a three-game series versus West Georgia. VSU won its 16
th-straight game and improved to 27-3 overall and 20-2 in Gulf South Conference play, while UWG fell to 20-9 and 16-6 in league play.
#2 Valdosta State 11, West Georgia 0 (Game 1, 6 Innings)
The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was suspended in the third inning with VSU leading 2-0. That game will pickup in the top of the third Sunday at 1 p.m. At approximately 12:30 p.m. Sunday before play resumes, VSU will honor four outstanding seniors playing their final regular season home games in a Blazer uniform for Senior Day. The 2021 Senior Class includes;
Lacey Crandall,
Logan Hill,
Avery Lamb and
Kiley Robb.
In a pitcher's duel to start, VSU sophomore hurler
Samantha Richards was on point with six strikeouts through the first three innings in a scoreless game. UWG hurler Kya Draper helped the high-powered Blazer attack in check through the first two innings.
That all changed in the bottom of the third, however, as junior
Baylee Everson reached on a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. On a 1-2 count, freshman
Morgan Hill went yard for the 11
th time this season for a 2-0 lead off UWG starter Kya Draper. It marked the 15
th-straight game VSU has hit a home run and 66
th of the season. Not to be outdone, junior
Nicole Pennington went yard for back-to-back jacks to center field for her national-best 17
th home run of the season and a 3-0 lead. UWG made a call to the bullpen as Lexi Close relieved Draper. Pennington, who began the game 2 for 2, reached base in all 30 games this season and 32
nd-straight dating back to last season and extended her season-best hitting streak to 13 games.
After Richards tallied two more strikeouts in the top of the fourth, for eight K's in the game, a walk, sacrifice bunt and an RBI single through the left side from Everson plated the fourth run of the game for the Blazers in the bottom of the inning and a 4-0 lead. Richards had fanned seven of the last nine UWG batters heading to the fifth inning.
A one out single to left field from Alley Taylor and she then stole second for the first UWG runner in position in the game in the top of the fifth. Richards got a fly out to left for the second out and a fly to center to end the threat.
With two out in the bottom of the fifth, Robb went deep to left field for her 13
th home run of the season and the third of the game by the Blazers for a 5-0 lead. Freshman
Aniston Gano followed suit deep to right center for the second time VSU hit back-to-back home runs in the game and a 6-0 lead. It was Gano's eighth home run of the season and fourth home run of the game for the Blazers. The four home runs to that point moved the Blazers' 2021 squad into eighth all-time in season home runs as a team with 69.
Crandall got into the home run act with a solo shot to open the bottom of the sixth for her eighth round-tripper of the season and 70
th of the year for the Blazers. Two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases for the Blazers with two out. Robb went deep for the second time in the game for a grand slam and the run-rule victory. It was her 14
th home run of the season.
The home run was the sixth of the game for VSU tying the school-record set earlier this season against Albany State (Mar. 17). The 71 round-trippers pulled the 2021 team into a tie for seventh all-time in school history in single-season home runs with the 2013 team.
Richards (18-2) took the win, pitching six innings, allowing two hits, walked one and fanned ten. Draper took the loss (6-3) in 3.1 innings, allowing six hits, eight earned runs, walked one and fanned three. Close pitched 2.1 innings, allowing three hits, three earned runs, walked one and fanned nine. Prior to today, Close and Draper had allowed five home runs combined on all season. VSU hit six. Robb finished the game 2 for 4 with two runs scored, two home runs and five RBI.
#2 Valdosta State 2, West Georgia 0 (Game Two, Play Suspended, T-3rd)
In the top of the first in the nightcap, VSU turned an inning-ending 363 double play as UWG had a runner at first from an error by VSU.
VSU began the bottom of the second with a single from Robb and a walk to Gano off UWG starter Morgan Goree. Crandall hit an RBI chopper off the third base bag for a 1-0 lead. Everson singled over third base for an RBI and a 2-0 lead. Freshman
Kayla Tosone hit a high chopper to load the bases turning the lineup over. UWG got out of the jam as VSU left the bags full.
Just as the top of the third was about to begin, lightning and rain came through the area, causing the suspension until Sunday.
