HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Valdosta State softball team split a doubleheader on Saturday at Alabama Huntsville as VSU won the opener 6-3, while UAH won the nightcap plating five runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 7-4 victory.  The teams are set for the rubber-match on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. VSU moved to 7-11 overall and 3-4 in GSC play, while UAH is 11-9 and 5-3 in league play.
 
VALDOSTA STATE 6, ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE 3 (GAME ONE)
VSU put two on with nobody out in the top of the first and senior Aniston Gano singled through the right side, plating junior Saylor McNearney who began the game with a walk and stole second.  The Blazers then loaded the bases as Katie Bracken hit freshman Krisley Arnold with one out. Bracken came back with two big strikeouts to end the threat as VSU left the bag full.  
 
In the bottom of the inning, graduate student pitcher Claire Maulding hit two batters and then Jada Henderson doubled home the equalizing run, followed by an RBI ground out from Alexa Douthitt for a 2-1 lead. 
 
VSU used a leadoff single from junior Rachael Lee in the top of the third and Gano walked to follow. Bracken, once again, got out of the jam as VSU left two on with a strikeout, foul out and fly out to right. Maulding and the Blazers got out of a two on jam in the bottom of the fourth for a 2-1 deficit heading to the fifth.  The Blazers had a runner in scoring position in the fifth, but were once again unable to drive her home as the team had left six stranded to that point.  
 
Arnold began the top of the sixth with a solo home run to left to tie the game at 2-2.  The Blazers took the lead, once again, with a single up the middle from junior Jayme Prandine who then scored on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Toree Wofford for a 3-2 lead with two away.  Senior Brandie Seber tripled to left center for her first, three-bagger of the season.  McNearney came up with a double to right plating Seber for a 4-2 score.  
 
UAH began the bottom of the sixth with a single to center from Henderson.  With one out, a single from Brittany Slaten followed and then an RBI double from Kylee Smith made the score 4-3.  The Chargers loaded the bases with a walk, but Maulding fanned Bracken and got a line out to center to end the threat.
 
Prandine hit a one out double in the top of the seventh and junior Charlotte Phillips replaced Prandine at second with a double of her own, plating the fifth run of the game chasing Bracken from the game. Seber then singled home Phillips for a 6-3 lead.  
 
The Chargers began the bottom of the seventh with an infield single.  UAH then hit a single, but Sadie Thompson was thrown out at second for the first out and Douhitt fouled out for the second out following the third hit of the game by Henderson.  Maulding registered her fifth strikeout of the game to end it with a 6-3 VSU win in the opener.
 
VSU tallied six runs on nine hits with one error, while UAH had three runs on nine hits with no errors.  It marked VSU's first win in Huntsville, Ala., since Mar. 23, 2019, snapping a seven-game losing skid in Huntsville.  Prandine finished the game 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a double, while Seber was 2 for 4 with a run scored, one RBI and a triple.  Arnold was 1 for 3 with a run scored, one RBI and a home run. Maulding went seven innings, allowing nine hits, three earned runs, walked one and fanned five to improve to 5-6 on the year.  Henderson went 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI for the Chargers as Bracken took the loss falling to 4-4.  
 
ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE 7, VALDOSTA STATE 4 (GAME TWO)
Gano hit a solo home run in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead as it was her third home run of the season.  UAH scored the equalizer on a passed ball in the bottom of the first for a 1-1 score.  VSU senior Samantha Barfield and the Blazers got out of a huge bases loaded jam in the second with a fielder's choice out at home and then a ground out to second.  
 
In the bottom of the third, Douhitt singled up the middle on a 3-2 count with one out plating a run for a 2-1 UAH lead. Barfield got out of the inning without further damage with a ground out.  Gano walked to begin the fourth and then, with one out, Arnold blasted her second home run of the day for a 3-2 VSU lead. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth, a leadoff walk, wild pitch, sacrifice bunt and hit batter put runners at the corners with two out for the Chargers.  Another free pass loaded the bases.  UAH's Maddie Cartron hit a grand slam for a 6-3 lead.  A triple from Smith followed as she scored on a wild pitch for a 7-3 score.  Senior Madison Lumpp replaced Barfield. 
 
VSU used an error and a single for two on with one out in the top of the fifth.  A single from Lee loaded the bases with two out, but a ground out to third followed as the Blazers left the bags full.
 
Arnold continued her strong day with a double to begin the top of the sixth and a walk to Prandine put two on with nobody out.  An error on the Chargers loaded the bases marking the third miscue of the game on UAH. UAH pitcher Megan Shurtz came up with two strikeouts and a ground out as VSU left the bags full, once again. 
 
VSU had one last chance in the top of the seventh, but Shurtz retired Lee to begin the inning and then Gano hit her second home run of the game for a 7-4 deficit.  It was her 50^th home run of her storied career.  She is sixth all-time in school history in career home runs. Shurtz then got a pair of ground outs to end the game.  
 
Gano led the team going 2 for 3 with two runs scored, two RBI, one walk and two home runs, while Arnold went 2 for 4 with a run scored, two RBI and a home run.  Barfield took the loss (1-3), going 3.2 innings, allowing five hits, seven runs – six earned, walked five and fanned one.  
 
UAH had seven runs, highlighted by the grand slam from Cartron who went 1 for 3 with two runs scored and four RBI, while Henderson was 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Shurtz went all seven innings, allowing six hits, four earned runs, walked two and fanned four.