COLUMBUS, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team split a Wednesday doubleheader against non-conference opponent Columbus State on Wednesday evening. The Blazers took the first game 6-4 before falling in extra innings in the second, 9-8 (8 Inn.)
 
Following the split, VSU now sits at 17-11 overall while Columbus State holds a 15-12 record.
 
Game #1: Valdosta State 6, Columbus State 4
 
VSU rushed out to an early lead in the top of the first as a pair of singles and a Cougar throwing error quickly put the Blazers in a bases-loaded position. Senior Aniston Gano's patience then earned her an RBI walk to put Valdosta State up 1-0 by the end of the frame.
 
In the bottom of the first, the Cougars ended up striking back and tying up the game on three base knocks, 1-1. The Blazers would come back and respond in the top of the third as senior Morgan Hill cracked her 10^th home run of the season on a two-run shot to put VSU back on top, 3-1. Later in the inning, sophomore Saylor McNearney sliced a double to deep center field before scoring on a Columbus State throwing error to give the Blazers a 4-1 edge by the end of the inning.
 
The Cougars started to pick up momentum in the bottom of the third, loading the bases on three walks before an RBI single cut the Blazers lead to two, 4-2. Columbus State went on to bring the game a run closer in bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly before tying it up on a solo homer in the top of the sixth, 4-4.
 
With the game on the line, VSU delivered as junior Carly Bogart blasted a lead-off solo home run just before junior Abby Sulte crushed her 19^th home run of the year to put the Blazers back on top, 6-4. Freshman Toree Wofford and the Blazer defense were able to go three up, three down in the bottom of the seventh to secure VSU a victory in the first game of the day, 6-4.
 
Toree Wofford (7-1) went the distance in the circle, recording her fifth complete game of the year. Over the course of seven innings, she allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking three.
 
The Blazers were led at the dish by Morgan Hill, who went two for four at the plate with a two-run homer for one run and two RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
Game #2: Columbus State 9, Valdosta State 8 (8 Innings)
 
Columbus State kicked off scoring in the second game of the afternoon as a sacrifice fly cashed in a Cougar run in the bottom of the first, 1-0.
Offense was quiet with no other scoring until the top of the fourth. That silence was swiftly broken as senior Katie Proctor launched a booming two-run homer to put VSU up 2-1 in the fourth. Later in the same inning, the Blazers were put in another bases-loaded opportunity as sophomore Jasmin Stewart took an RBI walk to build the Valdosta State lead up 3-1. The Blazers were not done scoring in the inning just yet as junior Brandie Seber cranked her first home run of the season on a three-run bomb to put VSU up 6-1 by the end of the frame, 6-1.
 
Columbus State continued to fight back as things began to go the Cougars way in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two runners on base, the Cougars tallied an RBI single to cut into the VSU lead, 6-2. Columbus State then blasted a three-run homer of its own following a Blazer error to make the contest a one-run affair, 6-5.  The Cougars then cracked another three-run home run later in the inning to go up two, 8-6, by the end of the fifth.
 
The Blazers quickly responded in the top of the sixth as McNearney hit a lead-off single before graduate student Melkayla Irvis took a walk. With two Blazers on base, Seber struck again with a double to deep left center to score both McNearney and Irvis, tying the game up at 8-8.
 
With the game still knotted up at 8-8 by the end of the seventh, the contest entered extra innings. The Blazers fought to get anything to break the tie in the top of the eighth but were unable to capitalize. In the bottom of the eighth, the Cougars ended up scoring the walk-off victory on a two-out RBI single, 9-8.
 
Graduate Student Nadia Zenteno got the start in the circle or VSU, going 4.2 innings while allowing just one earned run on six hits. She had three strikeouts and five walks in the game. Junior Madison Lumpp (3-3) finished the game for the Blazers, going three innings while allowing one run on three hits. She ended up finishing the game with three strikeouts.
 
Brandie Seber had a massive game at the plate for VSU, tallying two hits including a three-run homer and a two-RBI double for five RBI and a run, earning Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Blazer softball team will be back in action at home in Steel's Diamond this weekend when it hosts Gulf South Conference rival Alabama Huntsville for a three-game series. Action kicks off on Friday evening in a single game set for 5 p.m. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com.