VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team tallied a season-high 20 runs behind 15 hits and five homers in the Gulf South Conference series opener against Alabama Huntsville on Friday evening.
 
With the win, VSU improved to 18-11 on the season with a 10-3 mark in GSC play while UAH fell to 17-8 overall with a 5-5 mark in conference play.
 
The game kicked off with UAH striking first as The Chargers delivered back-to-back homers in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. However, the Blazers answered back in the bottom of the first as junior Brandie Seber and senior Morgan Hill hit back-to-back singles before junior Abby Sulte took a walk to load the bases. Senior Aniston Gano then reached on a fielder's choice as Seber and Hill made a mad dash for home plate to tie the contest up at 2-2.
 
The Chargers added another run in the top of the second on an RBI single to go up 3-2 by the end of the frame. The Blazer bats caught fire in the bottom of the second as Valdosta State got two runners on behind a pair of lead-off walks. Sophomore Jayme Prandine then hit a single to load the bases again before Seber cracked an RBI single to knot the game up at 3-3. With the bases still loaded, Hill scored another run on a base knock before Abby Sulte cranked her 20^th home run of the season on an explosive grand slam to bust the game wide open at 8-3. Later in the inning, Gano blasted her 12^th home run of the year on a solo shot to add another run, 9-3. VSU closed out the inning with a two-RBI double from sophomore Jasmin Stewart to give Valdosta State the 11-3 edge by the end of the second. For the inning, the Blazers collectively recorded nine runs on seven hits with two home runs and a double.
 
UAH rallied for two more runs in the top of the third on a solo home run and an RBI single to cut into the Valdosta State lead, 11-5. However, Valdosta State offense continued to stay hot in the bottom of the third as a Charger error allowed Sulte to score from third before an RBI groundout brought junior Carly Bogart home from third to give VSU a 13-5 cushion in a flash. Jasmin Stewart continued her hot streak at the plate by smashing a two-run bomb to give the Blazers a 10-run lead by the end of the third, 15-5.
 
Alabama Huntsville remained resilient, hitting a pair of two-run home runs in the top of the fourth to cut the Valdosta State lead to six, 15-9. The Blazer offensive trend continued in the bottom of the fourth as Hill crashed a solo home run of her own to put the Blazers up seven, 16-9. Sulte then took a walk before rounding the base path on a pair of passed balls before scoring on a Charger error, 17-9. Valdosta State got another runner on base before senior Katie Proctor got in on the home run party, crushing a two-run shot to build the VSU lead back up to 10, 19-9. Sophomore Lexi Patterson closed out the fourth with an RBI single to give Valdosta State a 20-9 cushion by the end of the fourth.
 
Graduate Student Nadia Zenteno came in to close out the game behind the run rule in the fifth, tallying one walk before recording three quick outs to give Valdosta State first game in the series, 20-9.
 
The Blazers saw three different pitchers take the circle in the contest, but Nadia Zenteno (5-5) was credited with the win. Collectively, the Blazer pitchers tallied one strikeout while giving up nine runs on nine hits with four walks.
 
Valdosta State racked up 15 hits in the game behind six extra-base hits including a double from Stewart as well as home runs from Sulte, Hill, Gano, Stewart and Proctor.  Sulte had a spectacular game, recording her 20^th home run of the season on a grand slam while racking up three runs and four RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Blazer softball team will be back in action at Steel's Diamond on Saturday afternoon for the series-concluding doubleheader with Alabama Huntsville. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and head to the softball schedule page.