VALDOSTA, Ga.- The No. 11 Valdosta State softball team split a doubleheader with No. 3 Tampa on Thursday evening. The Blazers took game one on a walk off single in the seventh inning, 8-7 before falling just short in the nightcap, 11-8. Prior to the matchup Thursday evening, the Blazers last defeated the Spartans in Tampa in the 2022 NCAA South Regional, 2-0, giving them the South Region #2 title and advancing them to the NCAA South Super Regional.

Game #1: #11 Valdosta State 8, #3 Tampa 7
 
The Blazers got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first as a Blazer walk set up a quick two-run shot from sophomore Abby Sulte to put VSU up 2-0 early. Valdosta State then got two Blazers on base behind a Spartan miscue and a base hit from junior Taylor Macera. This put VSU in position to take advantage of another Tampa mishap as senior Taylor Lewis made a dash for home from second to put the Blazers up 3-0.
 
Tampa struck back with a solo shot in the top of the second to cut the VSU lead to 3-1. However, the Blazers answered right back as junior Morgan Hill knocked one just over the fence to give VSU a 4-1 edge in the bottom of the second.
 
The Spartans then tacked on another solo homer in the top of the fourth to trail by only two, 4-2. In the bottom of the fourth, the Blazers struck right back as freshman Jayme Prandine hit a dribbling double to center followed by an RBI single courtesy of Sulte to add to the Valdosta State lead, 5-2.
 
In the top of the sixth, the Spartans tacked on another on a solo shot to center to cut into the VSU lead, 5-3. Tampa then immediately hit its fourth home run of the game to give the Blazers a one run lead, 5-4. Valdosta State answered back in the bottom of the sixth as a Blazer reached first on a dropped ball at the plate, setting up Sulte smashing her second homer of the afternoon to put the Blazers up 7-4.
 
Down three, the Spartans struck back with a three-run home run to tie the game up at 7-7 in the top of the seventh. VSU remained persistent heading into the bottom of the seventh as freshman Saylor McNearney walked, and freshman pinch hitter Lexi Patterson singled up the middle to put two Blazers on base. Prandine then stepped up to the plate with two outs and knocked a walk off base hit to left field, sending McNearney home to give Tampa its first loss of the season, 8-7.
 
Senior Samantha Richards was in the circle for VSU and recorded her 13^th win of the season and 12^th complete game of the year. She fanned 10, walked one and allowed seven runs on nine hits. With the win, Richards was named the Blazer pitcher with the most wins in program history. At the plate, Sulte recorded three hits, two home runs and five RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
Game #2: #3 Tampa 11, #11 Valdosta State 8
 
In the top of the first, the Spartans kicked off the game with a lead-off home run to take an early 1-0 lead. The Blazers answered back in the bottom of the second as Lewis hit a towering homer over center field to tie the game up at 1-1. Macera then singled past first base to set up a two-bagger from McNearney, scoring Macera from first base as the Blazers took the lead, 2-1. Immediately following the double, freshman Jasmin Stewart knocked a two-run shot over center to put VSU up three, 4-1.
 
The Spartans tacked on a run in the top of the third on a bases loaded walk to cut the lead to 4-2 before adding on another run in the top of the fourth behind a double and a Blazer miscue, 4-3. In the bottom of the fourth, Stewart hit her second homer of the game to left field to give VSU a two-run edge, 5-3.
 
In the top of the fifth, Tampa strung together a string of base hits to tie the game up at 5-5. The Spartans then hit a two-run homer to take the lead, 7-5. In the top of the sixth, Tampa added three more behind a three-hits and two Blazer miscues to take a 10-5 lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Blazers struck back with an immediate solo home run to center from junior Kinzie Nelson to cut the deficit to 10-6. Stewart then hit a base hit to left field before Hill cracked a homer to right center to cut the Tampa lead to 10-8.
 
The Spartans picked up another run in the top of the seventh behind a pair of singles to go up 11-8. Despite a hard-fought effort from the Blazers in the bottom of the seventh, Tampa took game two of the doubleheader, 11-8.
 
The Blazers had four different pitchers in the circle, combining for four strikeouts, six walks and 11 runs on 12 hits. Stewart was a perfect three of three at the plate for the Blazers, recording three runs, two home runs and three RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Blazers will return to Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park on Saturday, Mar. 11 at 2 p.m. in doubleheader action against in-state rival, West Georgia as part of a three-game conference matchup. For live stats, video/audio streaming, ticket information and more, visit vstateblazers.com.