VALDOSTA, Ga. – Graduate Ally Clegg hit three home runs on the evening as the No. 3 Valdosta State softball team split a pair of games with No. 6 Auburn Montgomery Friday night at Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park falling in game one 9-5 in eight innings then bounced back and took game two 14-6 in five innings.
The Blazers moved to 28-6 on the year and 20-2 in conference play while the Warhawks moved to 31-6 on the year and 19-3 in the Gulf South Conference.
In game one, VSU hurler Samantha Richards fanned Olivia Aycock on the first at bat of the game as Richards moved into tie for tenth all-time in GSC history in career strikeouts with 501 with Kayla Jackson of Arkansas-Monticello (2009-2011). Richards then fanned the next two batters to strikeout the side. Last week, she hit 500 career strikeouts on the nose in the finale at West Georgia for third all-time in program history behind Karie Newton's 580 strikeouts and Caitlyn Calhoun's 574 strikeouts.
On an 0-2 count with sophomore Morgan Hill at first via a leadoff walk, y Clegg went deep to left field for her 11th dinger of the season for a 2-0 lead. It was AUM hurler Morgan Ferguson's fifth home run allowed this season and just the eighth allowed by the Warhawks as a team.
A two-out single from Allie Miller in the top of the second snapped a streak of five-straight strikeouts by Richards. She then fanned the side for six strikeouts through two innings. In the bottom of the second, a single up the middle from junior Taylor Lewis and freshman Bobbi Poff pinch-ran for Lewis. With two out, redshirt senior Baylee Everson singled to center field as Poff tried to come home, but a great throw from Miller in center to home to gun Poff down at the plate for the final out of the inning.
After an infield single to begin the top of the third for the Warhawks, but on a sacrifice bunt attempt, sophomore Aniston Gano made a heads-up throw to second and an even better stretch for the out from senior Nikki Pennington to cut down the lead runner. AUM tried the sacrifice bunt again but was thwarted once again with another great throw to second from Clegg at third for two away. Richards fans her seventh of the game to get out of the inning.
With one out on a 3-0 count, Clegg went deep again for a solo shot and a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third for her 12th of the season and first multi-home run game in 2022. It was her fourth home run in the last three games.
In the bottom of the fourth, a single from sophomore Katie Proctor, a great sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single from sophomore Taylor Macera gave VSU a 4-0 lead. Junior Hunter Meadows singled through the right side for the third hit of the inning and seventh of the game for the Blazers. The Warhawks went to the bullpen in favor of Avery Dickerson, replacing Ferguson. Following the change, Everson flew out to center, advancing both runners to second and third. A wild pitch plated Macera for a 5-0 lead.
AUM put runners at first and second with one out in the top of the fifth as Haley Ann Frank hit a high chopper over third for her second hit of the game on a nine-pitch at bat. A hit batsmen loaded the bases, but Aycock battled back from an 0-2 count for a 3-2 count. Richards got the outside corner for strike three and the second out of the frame. It should've been the third out, but a Blazer miscue to begin the frame prolonged the inning. A wild pitch plated the first run of the game for AUM and a 5-1 score. A walk loaded the bases for the second time in the inning. The second error of the frame on the Blazers plated another run and a 5-2 score. Gia Martin was hit by the pitch on a 3-2 count for a run and a 5-3 score. Meadows robbed Chloe Derrick of a grand slam as she reached over the fence in center field and pulled it back for the final out of the inning on a spectacular play to preserve the lead for the Blazers.
Back-to-back walks for the Blazers began the bottom of the fifth and loaded the bases, but were unable to score heading to the sixth, leading 5-3.
With one out in the top of the sixth, AUM's Lexi Love hit a line drive home run to left cutting VSU's lead to 5-4. Following a walk, Richards got her tenth strikeout of the game and the second out of the inning and a ground out got the Blazers out of the inning.
AUM drew a walk to Kat Fallen to begin the top of the seventh as Richards was at a season-high 157 pitches for the game. A hit to center and then an overthrow allowed the two runners to move to second and third. VSU got the first out with a foul out to left as the runner at third was not able to advance. A bloop-single to right field by Derrick tied the game at 5-5. VSU got the second out on a fly to left, but the Blazers got out the jam going to the bottom of the seventh.
The fourth error on the Blazers put the go-ahead runner at second with nobody out in the eighth. Olivia Aycock doubled down the left-field line for an RBI and a 6-5 AUM lead. Lexie Bullock doubled to left-center for an RBI and a 7-5 score. Martin hit a two-run home run for a 9-5 Warhawk lead as AUM scored nine unanswered runs since VSU led 5-0 after the fourth inning.
VSU used a two-out single from Macera in the bottom of the eighth, but Dickerson got the final out to end the game. She went the final 4.2 innings, allowing two hits, walking two and fanning seven. Ferguson went 3.1 innings, allowed seven hits, five earned runs, walked one and fanned two. Dickerson improved to 7-1 on the year.
Richards fell to 21-3 on the year, going all eight innings, allowing nine hits, nine runs – two earned, walked four and fanned ten. Offensively, Clegg went 2 for 3 with two runs scored, two home runs, three RBI and one walk. Macera was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Everson was 2 for 3.
AUM won its 14th-straight game and handed VSU its first loss at home this season (12-1).
For the Blazers, they scored five runs on nine hits and four costly errors led to seven unearned runs in the game.
In game two, the Blazers quickly got on the board from an RBI single from Gano, but the Warhawks quickly responded with two runs in the top of the second inning from a miscue by the Blazer defense and keen base running from AUM.
The Blazers responded in the bottom of the second inning as Hill reached first on a fielder's choice, allowing Meadows to score from third to give VSU the lead, 3-2.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Blazers' offense exploded, posting ten runs on the board to give the Blazers a lead of 13-2. Clegg blasted her third home run of the evening and 13th of the season. Following Clegg's blast, Proctor hit a three-run home run over the center field wall, then Macera rounded out the inning with a two-run home run. Proctor recorded her sixth home run of the year while Macera recorded her third of the year.
In the top of the fourth inning, AUM attempted a comeback bid, cutting the Blazers' lead to 13-6 and posting four runs off a pair of Blazer miscues and a bases-loaded jam. The Blazers' defense held strong to get a groundout to end the frame.
Lewis ended the game early for the Blazers in the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo shot over the left field wall to complete the run-rule, 14-6. Lewis recorded her seventh home run of the year.
Hill and sophomore Mia DeAngelis combined efforts in the circle for the red and black and recorded six strikeouts and held AUM to two hits, and six runs through 19 at-bats.
The Blazers round out the series with the Warhawks on Saturday at 1 p.m. for Senior Day. The Senior Day festivities will begin at approximately 12:40 p.m. and the 2022 senior class includes Hunter Meadows, Ally Clegg, Nikki Pennington and Baylee Everson.
For all updates on Blazer softball, visit vstateblazers.com or follow Valdosta State Athletics on social media.
