VALDOSTA, Ga.- The Valdosta State softball team locked up its seventh Gulf South Conference series victory of the year, taking two against Delta State on Saturday for the doubleheader sweep.The Blazers scored a shutout victory in the first game of the day, 7-0, before taking the second game behind a walk-off single from sophomore Jayme Prandine, 9-8.
 
Following the sweep, VSU improved to 25-18 overall with a 15-8 mark in GSC play while DSU fell to 10-34 on the year and 5-18 in conference play.
 
Game #1: Valdosta State 7, Delta State 0
The Blazers went to work in the bottom of the second as VSU got into a bases-loaded scenario following two hit-by-pitch walks and a five-pitch walk. A fielder's choice led to the first run of the game as sophomore Evie Pitts crossed home plate for the 1-0 Valdosta State lead. Junior Abby Sulte then added onto the lead on a bloop single over the shortstop's head to give the Blazers a 3-0 edge by the end of the frame.
 
VSU received another bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom of the third following three walks and a DSU throwing error. The Blazers ended up scoring three more runs on a pair of wild pitches as well as a stolen base at home plate from junior Brandie Seber. By the end of the inning, Valdosta State increased its lead to six, 6-0.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Blazers were put in a favorable position once again, loading the bases on a pair of base knocks from junior Carly Bogart and senior Katie Proctor as well as a walk from Sulte. Sophomore Saylor McNearney then cashed in a run on a deep single to left field that was held in the ballpark by the wind as VSU built its lead up to seven, 7-0.
 
Junior pitcher Madison Lumpp and the Blazer defense were able to lock in the rest of the way to secure the Blazers' second shut-out victory of the season, 7-0. In her first shutout of the year, Lumpp (7-4) went all seven innings for her first complete game of the season. She allowed five hits for no runs while she walked just two batters to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Blazers compiled just five hits in the first game of the afternoon while racking up 10 walks. VSU was led at the plate by Sulte who tallied one run on one hit for two RBI with three walks.
 
Game #2: Valdosta State 9, Delta State 8
The Lady Statesmen struck first in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring two runs on a Blazer throwing error to take a swift 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Delta State tacked on three more runs in the top of the third as a double through the left side cleared the bases to give the Lady Statesmen a five-run advantage by the end of the frame, 5-0.
 
The Valdosta State bats woke up in the bottom of the third as sophomore Jasmin Stewart kicked off the inning with a lead-off double. Brandie Seber then cracked a single to left field, bringing in Stewart and cutting into the DSU lead, 5-1. Later in the frame, Proctor's patience at the plate earned her a bases-loaded walk to add another run for the Blazers, 5-2. With the bases still loaded, McNearney sliced a triple past the first baseman to unload the bases and tie the game up in a flash, 5-5.
 
Delta State snatched the lead right back in the top of the fourth, rallying for three runs on two hits including a two-run home run to go up by three, 8-5.
 
The game remained quiet until the clock struck midnight in the seventh inning. Following a quick half-inning of work from graduate student pitcher Nadia Zenteno and the Valdosta State defense, the Blazers prepared to lock in offensively in the bottom of the frame.
 
With the game on the line, senior Morgan Hill and Sulte hit back-to-back singles to open the frame. However, Hill overshot second base following Sulte's hit as she was tagged for the first out of the inning. Senior Mackenzie Kilpatrick then stepped up to the plate and crushed a well-hit double that bounced off the top of the left field fence to cut into the DSU lead, 8-6. Senior Aniston Gano then struck a ball to deep center field that was held in by the wind for another double, limiting the Delta State lead to just one in the blink of an eye, 8-7. Proctor's patience at the plate continued to pay off as she took a walk to put Blazers on first and second base. Following a pop-up out, Prandine stepped up to the dish, thumping a well-placed hit in a gap in the outfield to score the two Blazer baserunners and complete the comeback victory, 9-8.
 
The Blazers tallied a total of nine hits in the game, five of which came in the seventh inning, including three doubles and a triple. The sophomore trio of Prandine, McNearney and Stewart showed out in the second contest against the Lady Statesmen, tallying a collective four hits for one run and five RBI with a double and a triple. Prandine's late game heroics earned her Guardian of the Bank Player of the Game honors as her walk-off hit secured the Blazers the series win.
 
Three Blazers took the circle in the second game of the afternoon as junior Savannah Barfield was tasked with the start. She went 2.1 innings, allowing four runs on three hits while walking one batter and striking out one. Freshman Toree Wofford went 1.2 innings while also giving up four runs on three hits with two walks. Zenteno (6-8) closed out the game, going three innings while allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
 
The Blazers will be right back in action at Steel's Diamond Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. to take on the Lady Statesmen in the series finale. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and head to the softball schedule page.