WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The No. 12 Valdosta State softball team opened the 2023 season with a pair of wins at Palm Beach Atlantic Friday afternoon.  VSU won the opener 4-2 and rallied for a 7-5 win in the nightcap, plating the go ahead runs in the top of the seventh.  
 
#12 Valdosta State 4, Palm Beach Atlantic 2 (Game One)
In the opener, the Blazers got off to a fast start, plating three runs in the top of the first inning as junior Morgan Hill began the game with a leadoff single through the left side.  A walk and wild pitch put runners at second and third and junior Katie Proctor singled to left field, plating Hill and sophomore Abby Sulte scored on a throwing error by PBA for a 2-0 lead.  Junior Taylor Macera singled through the right side, plating Proctor for a 3-0 lead.  
 
The Blazers scratched across another run in the third as freshman Saylor McNearney hit a sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead.  VSU senior hurler Samantha Richards struck out the side in the bottom of the third and retired nine-straight before a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth and the Sailfish eventually loaded the bases.  Briana Rodriguez singled to right, plating a run, but a great throw from Hill to junior catcher Kinzie Nelson as Gracie Mullett was gunned down at the plate to end the inning.  
 
PBA scored its second run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single down the left field line, but Richards was up to the task in the bottom of the seventh to retire the Sailfish for the 4-2 victory.  Richards went all seven innings, allowing seven hits, two runs – one earned, walked one and fanned six earning Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors.  Proctor finished the game 2 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI, while Hill was 2 for 4 with a run scored.  
 
#12 Valdosta State 7, Palm Beach Atlantic 5 (Game Two)
In the nightcap, PBA jumped on top in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly and a throwing error for a 2-0 lead.  The Sailfish used a bases loaded walk for a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second as junior Taylor Barrett replaced junior starter Mia DeAngelis in the circle.  
 
The comeback started for the Blazers in the top of the fourth as Sulte walked, followed by two quick outs.  A throwing error and wild pitch moved Sulte to third, followed by another free pass.  Nelson took advantage with a two RBI double to center, followed by McNearney plating Nelson with a base knock for a 3-3 score.  
 
The Blazers took the lead with two runs in the sixth as two errors proved costly for the Sailfish leading to two runs, including an RBI double from McNearney for a 5-3 Blazer advantage.  The lead was short lived, however, as PBA plated two runs to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two RBI double from Larken Maseda.  
 
Hill began the seventh with a single to left and a sacrifice bunt moved her to second.  Following an out, Proctor reached first on the fourth error of the game on the Sailfish, while Macera plated the go ahead runs on a single through the left side for a 7-5 score.   Barrett retired the Sailfish in order in the bottom of the seventh for her first win as a Blazer, going 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs, walked two and fanned one.   McNearney finished the game 2 for 3 with two RBI and a double to earn Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game honors.
 
VSU continues in South Florida on Saturday with two games at Nova Southeastern beginning at 1 p.m.  Fans can access links to live stats and streaming of the games at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.