VALDOSTA, Ga. –  A walk-off single from junior Charlotte Phillips with two out and runners at second and third in the bottom of the seventh, lifted the Valdosta State softball team to a 5-4 win over visiting Montevallo Sunday afternoon and a series sweep of the Falcons.
 
With the win, VSU improved to 17-11 overall and 13-4 in Gulf South Conference play and won its tenth-straight game, while sweeping its third-straight league opponent.  Montevallo fell to 15-18 overall and 7-11 in league play.
 
A leadoff single by the Falcons, a wild pitch and a walk put two on with two out in the top of the first.  Graduate student pitcher Claire Maulding got a foul out to third to end the inning and leave two stranded for the Falcons.  In the bottom of the inning, two walks and a RBI single from senior Carly Bogart gave VSU a 1-0 lead. 
 
UM put two on with one out in the top of the second as Maulding had more traffic to work around.  A pop out to second followed as the Falcons turned the lineup over and a ground out to first ended the inning giving Maulding 10.1 scoreless innings to that point for the series.  The Falcons put two on in the top of the third with one out, once again with one out.  A ground out to first got the second out as the runners advanced to second and third.  On a 1-2 count, a ground to third ended the inning. 
 
Maulding and the Blazers retired the Falcons in order in the fourth marking the first frame without traffic in the game.  UM and pitcher Taylor Lloyd returned the favor in the bottom of the inning. 
 
On a 2-2 count with two out and one on in the bottom of the fifth, Gano went deep to left center for her team-leading ninth home run of the season and a 3-0 lead.  It was the first hit for the Blazers since the first inning.
 
A walk and a single began the top of the sixth for the Falcons.  Skylar Johnson doubled home a run and a sacrifice fly from Kiley Christopher made the score 3-2.  A long fly out to center got VSU the third out as UM left the potential tying run at third. 
 
In the bottom of the sixth, junior Charlotte Phillips began the frame with a single to left and a sacrifice bunt moved her to second.  Following a line out to third, senior Brandie Seber singled to center plating Phillips for an important insurance run and a 4-2 score.
 
A ground out to first and then a great defensive play from Bogart at third and a long through to first got the second out and, on a full count, Maulding walked Benton for the tying run at the plate.  Molly Pendley hit a line drive two run home run to center to tie the game at 4-4.
 
A leadoff single from junior Rachael Lee began the bottom of the seventh.  UM walked Gano for two on with nobody out.  UM brought in Rachel Whiddon to replace Lloyd in the circle.  A sacrifice bunt from Bogart moved the runners to second and third with one out.  A ground out to third was the second out.  With the right fielder playing in, junior Charlotte Phillips hit a ball to right off the glove of the right fielder, plating the winning run, 5-4.
 
For the game, Gano was 1 for 2 with a home run, one run scored and two RBI, while Phillips was 2 for 4 with a run scored and one RBI.  Maulding (13-6) went all seven innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs, walked four and fanned five.  Lloyd (7-8) went six innings, allowing five earned runs with five walks and seven strikeouts.  Pendley was 1 for 3 for the Falcons with two runs scored, a home run and two RBI. 
 
The Blazers play two games at Georgia Southwestern on Tuesday beginning at 3 p.m., and then will return home to host a huge GSC series next Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. versus Mississippi College.