DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The No. 7 Valdosta State softball team split a pair of games on the opening day of the Embry-Riddle Invitational, defeating the host Eagles 9-2, then falling to Tampa, 2-1. The Blazers fell to 5-1 on the year and will face both ERAU and Tampa again tomorrow to conclude the tournament.
In a pitcher's duel to the fifth inning of a scoreless game, Blazer junior Abby Sulte hit a two-run blast in the top of the frame to give the Blazers a 2-0 advantage. Later in the fifth inning, the Blazers scored again, with an RBI double by sophomore Taylor Macera for a 3-0 lead.
The Eagles scored one run in the bottom of the inning helped out by a miscue by the Blazers for a 3-1 score, but the scoring wasn't done as sophomore Morgan Hill hit an RBI triple in the top of the sixth for a 4-1 advantage. Hill then scored and graduate student Ally Clegg hit an RBI single giving VSU a 6-1 lead.
The Eagles put another one on the board in the bottom of the sixth from a triple by Lauren Latoria, but Blazer senior Nikki Pennington blasted a three-run home run down the left line in the top of the seventh for a 9-2 lead. It was her team-leading third home run of the season.
For the game, VSU tallied nine runs on nine hits with three errors, while ERAU had two runs on four hits with no errors. Hill finished the game 3 for 4 with three runs scored, a triple, one stolen base, a walk and one RBI. Pennington was 1 for 4 with three RBI and a run scored on the home run. Pennington was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Week for her efforts last week at the Gulf Shores Invitational.
In the circle, junior Samantha Richards was outstanding again as she earned GSC Pitcher of the Week honors, too, for her efforts last week. Richards improved to 3-0 on the year, going all seven innings, allowing four hits, two runs – one earned, walked three and fanned 12.
Hill continued her outstanding day beginning the game against Tampa with a double to center, but the Blazers couldn't capitalize on Hill in scoring position. VSU scored first in the top of the second inning as junior Taylor Lewis hit an RBI double to give VSU a 1-0 lead.
The lead remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning where Tampa hit a two-run homer to push ahead 2-1. VSU had two more hits the rest of the way, but was unable to get the equalizing score. VSU finished with one run on six hits, while Tampa had two runs on five hits.
Blazer sophomore Aniston Gano finished 2 for 3 with a run scored, while Lewis was 2 for 3 with the one RBI. Sophomore Mia DeAngelis (2-1) took the loss in six innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, walked two and fanned three.
The Blazers are back in action tomorrow, taking on Tampa again at 3 p.m., and then Embry-Riddle at 5:30 p.m. to conclude the invitational. Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats and streaming of the games.
