CLEVELAND, Miss. – In a back-and-forth game and series for that matter, the No. 4 Valdosta State softball team scored ten runs over the final four innings, including five runs over the final two innings, to regain the lead for a 12-8 victory at Delta State Saturday for the three-game series sweep.  VSU ran its winning streak to 11 games with the sweep and improved to 8-2 on the road this season.
 
VSU improved to 22-3 on the year and a league-best 16-2 in Gulf South Conference play as it tallied 12 runs on 13 hits with no errors.  DSU had eight runs on six hits with three costly errors as the miscues led to five unearned runs for the Blazers.  The eight runs allowed by the Blazers marked a season-high, while DSU hit three home runs in the game, also the most allowed by VSU in a game this season.
 
VSU freshman utility player Morgan Hill improved to 4-1 on the year in two innings of relief work, as she stymied the DSU attack for the final two frames and fanned two.  Sophomore Samantha Richards went just two innings as the starter, allowing three hits, four earned runs, one walk and fanned three.  Her walk was the first free pass she had allowed in 29 innings of work, dating back to Mar. 20 against Georgia Southwestern.   All four Blazer pitchers saw action in the game as senior Avery Lamb pitched 2.2 innings, allowing three hits, four earned runs and walked two.  Freshman Mia DeAngelis pitched 0.1 inning with a walk, prior to M. Hill. 
 
Not only was M. Hill on point on the mound, but also from the dish, going 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two RBI.   Junior Nicole Pennington went 3 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI, while senior Lacey Crandall was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and three RBI, including a home run.  Freshman Katie Proctor also belted her second home run in just six at bats this season. 
 
For the Lady Statesmen, (19-16, 11-10 GSC) Jenny Griggers went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and four RBI, while she took the loss on the mound (0-2), going 1.2 innings, allowing five hits, five runs and four earned.  Olivia Burns started the game for DSU, going 3.2 innings, allowing five hits, four runs – three earned, walked five and fanned two.
 
Just as in the opener of the series, DSU plated three runs in the bottom of the first.  This time, Griggers hit a three-run blast to right field after Richards walked Summer Cryder and a bunt single followed. 
 
VSU was outscored 6-2 in the first inning in the series as it entered leading 33-1 in runs scored in the first inning.  Conversely, VSU outscored DSU 24-9 in the middle innings through the rest of the game for the series and 6-0 in extra-innings.  The Blazers were outscored 7-4 in the first two innings and, ironically, neither team scored in the third inning in the series, marking the only frame where neither team scored.
 
The Blazers got on the board in the second inning as Crandall belted her fourth home run of the season – a two run shot for a 3-2 deficit.   DSU scored its fourth run of the game by way of the long ball with a Taylor Piccu home run in the bottom of the second for a 4-2 score. 
 
The offense got going for the Blazers in the fourth as M. Hill hit an RBI single to center and a fielding error on the Lady Statesmen plated the second run for a 4-4 score.  VSU then took its first lead of the game in the fifth as it loaded the bases with nobody out.  What could've been a devastating double play, turned out pretty good as Proctor belted her two run shot highlighting a three-run frame for a 7-4 lead.
 
Delta State wouldn't go away, however, as the Lady Statesmen used a Griggers RBI double to left, an RBI ground out and a Jaclyn Deason two run home run for a four run frame and regained the lead at 8-7.
 
In the sixth VSU wouldn't panic, however, as it took the lead for good with an RBI sacrifice fly from senior Logan Hill and another miscue by DSU proved costly.  Sophomore Kiley Robb singled to left, plating Pennington, who had reached on a fielding error early in the inning and a 9-8 VSU lead.
 
M. Hill retired DSU in order in the sixth and Crandall hit a one out single to get things started in the seventh.  The third DSU miscue led to three unearned runs - all with two out as Pennington came up with a two RBI double to left center and M. Hill hit an RBI single to center for the 12-8 margin.  M. Hill retired DSU in order, once again, in the seventh for the victory.
 
VSU returns home to host West Alabama in a three-game series, Apr. 10-11, at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park.  The April 10 doubleheader is set for a 1 p.m. start, followed by a 1 p.m. first pitch for the single game on April 11.