CLEVELAND, Miss.- The No. 8 Valdosta State softball team hit six home runs and blasted Delta State 15-0 in the final game of a three-game Gulf South Conference series Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Blazers improved to 11-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play while Delta State fell to 4-13 overall and 1-2 in league play.
The Valdosta State bats came to life early in the top of the first as junior Morgan Hill began the game with a leadoff single and a stolen base. The Statesmen then walked another, putting two Blazers on base for junior Taylor Macera to blast a three-run shot to left field to put VSU up 3-0 early. Macera's home run was her third of the series and sixth of the week.
The VSU bats remained hot entering the top of the second as a Blazer hit by pitch set up a home run, smacked deep left by freshman Jasmin Stewart to give Valdosta State a 5-0 edge. The dominant inning continued immediately after the two-run shot with Hill hitting a double to left field. From there, freshman Jayme Prandine smashed a two-run homer to center field to give the Blazers a 7-0 cushion.
In the top of the third inning, a Blazer walk set up a two-run bomb courtesy of freshman Saylor McNearney, putting VSU up 9-0. A few innings later in the top of the fifth, the Blazers decided they were not done scoring yet as a base hit, a Statesmen error and a walk set up a two RBI double from Stewart, giving VSU an 11-0 lead. Immediately following the double, Hill tacked on three more with a deep shot to center to give the Blazers a commanding 14-0 lead. The home run marked Hill's fourth consecutive game with a home run and her sixth homer of the season. Sophomore Abby Sulte concluded the scoring for the Blazers in explosive fashion with her sixth home run knock of the season to give Valdosta State the dominant 15-0 lead. The Blazer defense was able to hold the Statesmen to no runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the run rule in place as the Blazers left Cleveland with a 15-0 victory and their second GSC series win of the year.
Senior Samantha Richards was in the circle for the Blazers, recording her eighth complete game of the year and ninth win of the season. She fanned six, walked none and allowed no runs on four hits for her third shutout of the season. At the plate, five different Blazers recorded home runs with three being freshman. Stewart was two of three at the plate, recording a two-run homer and a double for four RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
The Blazers will return to action next weekend as they are set to face Shorter on the road in a three game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 1 at 1 p.m. The series will conclude in a single game on Sunday, Mar. 5 at 1 p.m.
