OXFORD, Ala.- The Valdosta State softball team fell 10-4 in its Gulf South Conference Championship opener to Auburn Montgomery Wednesday afternoon.

With the loss, VSU (33-15) will play in an elimination game Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET versus West Florida.  Fans can access links to live stats and streaming on FloSports and audio broadcast on the softball schedule page at vstateblazers.com. 

The No. 4-seed Warhawks (34-15) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as a pair of singles and a walk gave AUM a bases-loaded opportunity. The Warhawks then tacked on a run on a sacrifice fly to go up 1-0. Auburn Montgomery then went on a run in the bottom of the second, scoring six runs on six hits, one of which was a three-run home run, and two Blazer miscues to go up 7-0 by the end of the second inning.

The Blazers fought back in the top of the third as junior Morgan Hill reached on a fielder's choice, followed up by a single from sophomore Abby Sulte. With two runners on base for VSU, senior Taylor Lewis blasted a three-run bomb to cut the AUM lead to four, 7-3, by the end of the frame.

In the top of fourth with two outs, junior Taylor Macera smacked a base hit up the middle before Hill and Sulte took back-to-back walks to load the bases. However, Morgan Ferguson was able to get out of the jam on a fielder's choice for the third out as VSU left runners in scoring position. The Warhawks then added another run in the bottom of the fourth behind a walk and a double to go up 8-3.

The Valdosta State offense struck back in the top of the sixth as freshman Saylor McNearney took a lead-off walk to kick off the frame. Macera then doubled down the left field line to add another run, 8-4.

AUM added two more in the bottom of the sixth on a single then a homer to go up six, 10-4. The Blazer fought hard but came up short by the end as AUM took the contest, 10-4

Morgan Ferguson (13-5) earned the victory, going 1.1 innings, allowing no hits, one earned run, walked three and pitched 35 pitches.  Richards (24-9) took the loss, going seven innings, allowing 15 hits, 10 runs earned, walked two and fanned four.

Offensively, Macera went 3 for 4 with one double and one RBI.  Lewis went 1 for 4 for one run and three RBI on a three-run homer to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.