ROME, Ga.- The No. 13 Valdosta State softball team swept Shorter in a doubleheader Sunday afternoon after winning the opener Saturday afternoon to complete the three game series sweep. The Blazers defeated the Hawks in game one of Sunday's twin bill, 7-5 in eight innings before putting the series to rest in the second game with a 9-3 victory.
With the pair of wins, Valdosta State improved to 14-3 overall and 7-2 in Gulf South Conference play while Shorter fell to 4-18 overall and 1-8 in conference play.
GAME #1: #13 Valdosta State 7, Shorter 5 (8 Innings)
The Blazers kicked off game one with a walk and a pair of sacrifice ground outs to get junior Morgan Hill in scoring position early in the top of the first. Junior Katie Proctor then smacked a base hit to center field to score Hill, putting the Blazers up 1-0 early. The Hawks then immediately responded in the bottom of the first behind a string of base hits to score two, putting them up 2-1 by the end of the first frame.
VSU came back in the top of the third with an inning-opening double to center from Hill to put her in scoring position early. Freshman Jayme Prandine and sophomore Abby Sulte then hit a pair of sacrifice flies, advancing Hill to home plate to give VSU the tying run, 2-2. Much like game one of the series, Shorter and Valdosta State remained locked at 2-2 by the end of the seventh inning, leading to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, the Valdosta State bats came to life as Sulte hit the go-ahead run to put the Blazers up, 3-2. VSU continued its trend of back-to-back homers as Proctor smashed a solo shot immediately after Sulte's to put the Blazers up two, 4-2. The Blazers then loaded the bases behind a two-bagger from junior Taylor Macera, a base hit from senior Taylor Lewis and a Blazer walk. Freshman Jasmine Stewart remained patient at the plate to take a bases loaded walk to give the Blazers a 5-2 lead. Hill then cracked a single to score two more, giving the Blazers a 7-2 cushion. Shorter attempted to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth adding three runs off a string of base hits but fell just short as VSU won, 7-5.
Senior Samantha Richards was on the mound for the Blazers in her second start of the weekend, recording her tenth complete game of the season and improving her record to 11-1. In her eight innings of play, she recorded eight strikeouts, two walks and allowed five runs on eight hits. At the plate, Proctor tallied two hits, one homer and two RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
Game #2: #13 Valdosta State 9, Shorter 3
In the top of the first, the Blazers picked up where they left off at the end of the first game of the afternoon as a lead-off walk from Hill led to a string of VSU hits. One of which came from Lewis to send Hill home, giving VSU an early 1-0 lead. Another Blazer walk gave Valdosta State a bases loaded scenario in which Macera hit a sacrifice fly to score another to put VSU up 2-0. Shorter came out in the bottom of the first, scoring one behind a VSU mishap, a stolen base and a pair of hits cutting the Blazer lead to 2-1.
In the top of the second, the Blazer bats continued to strike fire as a walk and a sacrifice out lead to a Blazer on second. Hill then smashed a deep double to bring a Blazer run in, putting VSU up 3-1, followed by a flyout that sent Hill to third. Hill then took advantage of a Shorter wild pitch to make it home as the Blazers tacked on another, 4-1.
In the top of the third, VSU tacked on another behind a double from Proctor, setting up a sacrifice fly from Macera to advance freshman pinch runner Evie Pitts to third base. Sulte then promptly hit a single to send Pitts home as the Blazers went up 5-1. With Sulte on first, freshman Saylor McNearney hit a booming two-run shot to give the Blazers a 7-1 edge to close out the top of the frame. In the top of the fourth, Hill opened the frame with a double, followed by a sacrifice hit to advance Hill to third. Lewis then grounded out to the second baseman as Hill took off for home to add another run for VSU, 8-1.
The Hawks added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth with a couple of base hits to cut the deficit to five as the Blazers still led, 8-3. In the top of the sixth, VSU added another as Prandine reached third base on a few Shorter miscues leading to Lewis hitting a double to left field to add another run to the Blazer lead, 9-3. The game remained locked at 9-3 by the end of the seventh to give VSU its 14th win of the season and first series sweep of the year.
The Blazers had two pitchers on the mound in the second game of the afternoon with sophomore Madison Lumpp getting the start and going 4 innings for her first win of the season. Junior Taylor Barrett pitched the final three innings of the contest as the pair combined for two strikeouts, two walks and three runs on seven hits. Batting wise, Hill recorded two hits in three plate appearances, scoring three runs on two doubles for one RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
The Blazers will be back in action at home this week with a full slate of games. The action begins with a single game with Barry University set for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 7. For more information regarding stats, video/audio streaming, ticket information and more, visit vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.
