CLINTON, Miss.- The Valdosta State softball team suffered its first Gulf South Conference series loss of the season, dropping two games to No. 13 Mississippi College on Saturday afternoon. The Choctaws took the opener in a hard-fought 7-5 slugfest before downing the Blazers in the nightcap, 12-4 (six innings).
 
Following the doubleheader, Valdosta State now sits at 22-16 overall with a 13-7 mark in the GSC while Mississippi College improved to 30-6 overall and 14-6 in league play.
 
Game #1: No. 13 Mississippi College 7, Valdosta State 5
 
The Choctaws struck first in the series opener, scoring a run in the first inning on a hit and two Blazer errors, 1-0. MC stuck again in the bottom of the second adding on a run behind an RBI single, 2-0.
 
Valdosta State answered back in the top of the third as senior Katie Proctor struck a lead-off double to begin the inning. A MC fielding error allowed for another Blazer to reach base before sophomore Jayme Prandine crushed her second home run of the season on a three-run blast to put the Blazers on top by a run, 3-2.
 
Mississippi College responded immediately in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single to tie the contest up at 3-3. The Choctaws went on to rally for a big fifth inning, breaking the tie with three runs on two hits and a VSU error to go up 6-3.
 
VSU fought back in the top of the sixth as senior Aniston Gano kicked off the inning with a lead-off single. Prandine continued to have a big game as she sliced a double to left field before freshman Jasmin Stewart took a walk to load the bases. Junior Brandie Seber then stepped up and cracked a well-placed single to score two and bring the game back within one, 6-5.
 
The Choctaws got a run back in the bottom of the sixth on a VSU error to go up by two, 7-5. Unfortunately, the Blazers were unable to get anything going in the top of the seventh as VSU fell in the opener, 7-5.
 
Junior Savannah Barfield (4-1) got the start in the circle for the Blazers going five innings while allowing six runs (four earned) on eight hits. She fanned four batters while giving up just one walk.
 
VSU was led at the plate by Jayme Prandine who had an excellent performance in the first game of the series. She racked up two runs on two hits including a three-run home run and a double for three RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
Game #2: No. 13 Mississippi College 12, Valdosta State 4 (6 Inn.)
 
The second game of the afternoon had a much slower start offensively compared to the opener. Things remained quiet until the top of the third when Valdosta State kicked off the scoring as junior Carly Bogart launched her 10th home run of the year on a two-run bomb to put VSU on the board, 2-0.
 
Mississippi College continued to be persistent in the night cap, responding almost immediately in the bottom of the third as the Choctaws snatched back the lead with three runs scored on three hits including a triple to go up by one, 3-2.
 
The Blazers struck back in the top of the fourth as Stewart got on base following a MC error. The speedy Seber then blasted a triple to right field to add another run for VSU and tie the game up at 3-3.
 
The Choctaws ended up busting the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth, racking up five runs on just one hit, two VSU errors, two walks and two hit-by-pitch walks to go up 8-3. VSU responded as Proctor scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth, 8-4.
 
MC ended up closing the game out in a game-breaking sixth inning, tallying four runs on four hits including a double and a three-run home run to take the second game of the afternoon and the series as a whole, 12-4.
 
Three Blazers saw action in the circle, but graduate student Nadia Zenteno (5-8) was credited with the loss. The VSU pitchers gave up 12 runs (nine earned) on nine hits while striking out three and walking four.
 
The Blazers were led at the dish by Carly Bogart who racked up two runs on two hits including a two-run homer and a double for two RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
 
The Valdosta State softball team will be back in action on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET as it attempts to avoid the sweep against Mississippi College before returning home for the final home stretch, kicking off on Wednesday afternoon. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and head to the softball schedule page.