VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team opened Gulf South Conference play by splitting a doubleheader with Auburn Montgomery on Friday afternoon. The Blazers took the first game 8-1 before dropping the second game of the day, 12-7.
 
Following the split, VSU now sits at 7-7 overall with a 1-1 mark in GSC play while AUM holds an 8-3 record while also sitting at 1-1 in conference play.
 
GAME #1: Valdosta State 8, Auburn Montgomery 1
The Warhawks jumped out front in the first game of the afternoon as a groundout led to an AUM run in the top of the first, 1-0.
 
The Blazers quickly responded in the bottom of the second as sophomore Evie Pitts raced around the base paths on a passed ball and a stolen base to make it to third before a wild pitch brought Pitts home, 1-1. Valdosta State continued to pour it on in the second as the Blazers cracked four consecutive singles following the wild pitch before senior Morgan Hill smashed a three-run shot, giving VSU a 6-1 by the end of the frame. The Blazers collectively recorded six runs on six hits including Hill's home run in the second.
 
The VSU offense continued to stay hot in the bottom of the third as junior Carly Bogart blasted a two-run homer to put the Blazers up 8-1. The remainder of the game became locked in a defensive stalemate with neither team able to put up any more runs on the board as Valdosta State took the series opener with AUM, 8-1.
 
Freshman Toree Wofford (2-0) had an outstanding outing in the circle for the Blazers, going all seven innings for her second complete game of the season. In her outing, she only let up one run on three hits to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game. Valdosta State as a whole hit well in the contest, racking up 12 hits including a pair of home runs from Hill and Bogart.
 
GAME #2: Auburn Montgomery 12, Valdosta State 7
AUM struck early, rushing out to a 4-0 lead on a double, a pair of singles and a home run in the top of the first. However, the four-run deficit made no difference to the Blazers who tied it up on a blooper from sophomore Saylor McNearney and a three-run blast from senior Aniston Gano to make the game 4-4 by the end of the first.
 
The Warhawks snatched the lead back in the top of the third on a Blazer throwing error and a single to go up 6-4 before AUM's Gia Martin hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to build Auburn Montgomery's lead to three, 7-4.
 
The Blazers began to cut into the AUM lead in the bottom of the fourth as Bogart launched her second home run of the afternoon on a solo shot to bring the game a little closer, 7-5. However, the Warhawks cashed in four runs on three hits and two VSU errors to go up 11-5 in a flash.
In the bottom of the sixth, junior Brandie Seber sliced a double to deep left field that scored Hill from second, 11-6 before senior Katie Proctor connected on a single that scored Seber, bringing the Blazers back within striking distance, 11-7. However, Auburn Montgomery cracked a solo home run in the top of the seventh as the Valdosta State offense came up short in the bottom of the seventh. VSU dropped the second game of the series, 12-7.
 
Valdosta State had four pitchers see action in the game as graduate student Nadia Zenteno was credited with the loss (2-4). The four Blazer pitchers allowed 17 hits for 12 runs while fanning seven and walking four. The Blazers were led at the plate by Aniston Gano, who tallied one hit for one run on a massive three-run home run to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Blazers are set to finish the conference series with the Warhawks on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and go to the softball schedule page.