MELBOURNE, Fla.- The No. 10 Valdosta State softball team swept Florida Tech in a two-game doubleheader Wednesday evening as the Blazers combined for 24 total runs. VSU took game one in five innings, 12-2, before completing the doubleheader sweep in the nightcap game, 12-3, in five innings. With the pair of wins, the Blazers improved to 21-4 overall while the Panthers fell to 14-16 overall.

Game #1: #10 Valdosta State 12, Florida Tech 2 (5 Innings)
The Blazers struck first in the top of the second as freshman Jasmin Stewart continued her red-hot streak at the plate, blasting a solo homer to kick off scoring for Valdosta State, 1-0. Later in the inning, a Blazer walk and a single from junior Morgan Hill set up a double down the right field line courtesy of sophomore Abby Sulte to add to the VSU lead, 3-0.

VSU came back out in the top of the third and picked up where they left off in the previous inning as junior Katie Proctor smacked a single up the middle to get a Blazer on base early. Freshman Evie Pitts was put on first for Proctor and ended up advancing to second on a Panther passed ball. A Panther fielding error then allowed junior Taylor Macera to reach first as well as give Pitts the opportunity to make it home, adding another run for the Blazers, 4-0. A pair of two consecutive bunts from Stewart and junior Kinzie Nelson left the Blazers with a no-out, bases loaded opportunity as freshman Saylor McNearney hit a sacrifice fly to score Macera from third, putting the Blazers up 5-0. Hill then hit a sacrifice fly to score Stewart as Nelson advanced to third on a wild pitch leaving the Blazers in prime position to tack on another run, 6-0. A Blazer walk and a base hit from Sulte allowed Nelson to make it home, giving the Blazers a 7-0 edge by the end of the inning.

Florida Tech then scored on a couple of runs in the bottom of the third behind a pair of consecutive singles and a double to score two, 7-2.  However, VSU was not done adding to their lead yet as Nelson opened the top of the fifth with a single down the left field line. Hill and freshman Jayme Prandine then hit two consecutive singles to have another bases loaded opportunity. This led to Sulte taking a quick walk to add to the VSU lead, 8-2. With the bases loaded, senior Taylor Lewis smashed a grand slam to give the Blazers a 10 run cushion, 12-2. The grand slam from Lewis was her first of the year and the second for the Blazers this season as Macera mashed one on Sunday afternoon to put away West Georgia, 10-4. Following the grand slam, the Blazer defense got it done in the bottom of the fifth to put in place the eight run rule as VSU took game one, 12-2.

Senior Samantha Richards was in the circle for Valdosta State, recording her 16^th win of the season and 15^th complete game of the season. In her five innings of play, she struck out five, walked one and allowed two runs on five hits. At the dish for the Blazers, Lewis recorded one hit and one run for four RBI with her booming grand slam to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.

Game #2: #10 Valdosta State 12, Florida Tech 3 (5 Innings)
The second game of the evening got off to an explosive start as a single from Prandine set up Sulte's 14^th homer of the season to put the Blazers up 2-0 in the top of the first. VSU continued to show its batting prowess in the top of the second as Stewart and Nelson singled followed up by a bunt from McNearney to load the bases with no outs. Hill then reached on a fielder's choice as Nelson advanced home to give the Blazers a 3-0 lead followed by McNearney stealing home to add another run, 4-0.

In the top of the third, Lewis crushed a solo shot to kick off the inning, giving the Blazers a 5-0 advantage. Macera then took first base behind a walk, followed by Stewart and Nelson striking back-to-back singles to load the bases for the Blazers once again. This opened the door for junior Mackenzie Kilpatrick to hit a deep double to center, scoring Macera and Stewart as VSU went up 7-0.

VSU then had another eventful inning in the top of the fourth as Lewis singled to open the frame followed by Proctor hitting a two bagger to right center. Macera then doubled to left center to score two more Blazer runs, 9-0.  Stewart cracked a double of her own to score Macera, putting the Blazers up by double digits, 10-0. Stewart was then able to steal third before Nelson hit a towering two-run homer to give the Blazers a 12-0 lead.

The Panthers scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut into the Blazer lead, 12-3. However, the Blazer defense was able to buckle down for the remainder of the game, ending the contest in the fifth behind the eight-run rule and complete the two-game sweep, 12-3.

Three Blazers pitched for VSU in the second game of the evening, combining for four strike outs, two walks and three runs on six hits as sophomore Madison Lumpp was credited with win, bringing her record to 3-0. At the plate for the Blazers, Nelson recorded three hits in three at bats for one home run, two total runs and two RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.

The Blazers are set to return to the road this weekend for a three game conference series with Christian Brothers. Action begins on Saturday, Mar. 18 in a doubleheader set for 1 p.m. ET before the series finale on Sunday, Mar. 19 at 1` p.m. ET. For all things Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com.