VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team claimed its first Gulf South Conference series win of the 2024 season, taking the series rubber match against Auburn Montgomery 11-3 on Sunday afternoon. In Sunday's contest, Senior Aniston Gano launched the first grand slam for the Blazers this season, helping to propel VSU to its first series win over AUM since 2020.
 
Following Sunday's contest, Valdosta State improved to 8-7 overall with a 2-1 mark in conference play while Auburn Montgomery fell to 8-4 overall with a 1-2 record in the GSC.
 
The Blazer offense got to work early in the matchup as junior Abby Sulte smacked a single to deep right field before senior Katie Proctor blasted a two-run homer to give VSU the early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
 
AUM responded with a run on a double and single to cut the Blazers' lead in half in the top of the second, 2-1. However, the Warhawks ended up evening the game at 2-2 following an RBI single in the top of the third.

In the bottom of the third, Valdosta State was put in a good position quickly as a base hit and a pair of walks loaded the bases with just one out. Just in the nick of time, junior Carly Bogart cracked a single to deep left field to give the Blazers back the one-run lead, 3-2. However, VSU was not done scoring in the inning as the white-hot Gano cranked a no-doubter grand slam to deep center field, putting the Blazers up 7-2 by the end of the third.
 
Auburn Montgomery scored one in the top of the fifth, cutting into the Blazer lead 7-3 before sophomore Saylor McNearney launched a solo shot to put VSU up by five once again, 8-3.
 
The Blazers continued to pour on the runs in the bottom of the sixth as senior Morgan Hill sent a solo shot over the fence to put Valdosta State up 9-3 before a bases loaded single from Bogart gave the Blazers a 10-3 lead in a flash. McNearney ended up calling the game with an RBI single up the middle to secure the Blazer series finale victory, 11-3 through six innings.
 
Freshman Toree Wofford (3-0) recorded her second excellent outing of the weekend, tallying her third victory and complete game of the season. Through six innings pitched, Wofford recorded four strikeouts, no walks and allowed just three runs on seven hits.
 
The Blazer offense collectively had another impressive outing, tallying 11 runs on 11 hits including one double from junior Brandie Seber and four home runs from four different VSU batters including Proctor, Gano, McNearney and Hill. Gano led the Blazers at the plate, racking up one run on one hit for four RBI with her game-breaking grand slam to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Valdosta State softball team will now hit the road to take on Flagler on Wednesday in a non-conference doubleheader set for 3 p.m. For more information on Blazer softball, visit vstateblazers.com and head to the softball schedule page.