COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Valdosta State softball team split a midweek doubleheader with Columbus State on Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Field, falling 6-2 in the opener before bouncing back with a 5-3 victory in game two.
Game 1: Columbus State 6, Valdosta State 2
Columbus State jumped out to an early lead and held off a late push to defeat the Blazers 6-2 in the first game of the doubleheader.
After a scoreless first inning, the Cougars broke through in the bottom of the second with three runs. Nova Wright opened the inning with a double and later scored on an RBI single from Anna Waites. Abrianna Green then delivered the big hit of the frame, a two-run double down the left field line that extended the Columbus State lead to 3-0.
Valdosta State cut into the deficit in the top of the fifth.
Krisley Arnold doubled to right center and later scored when
Saylor McNearney singled to right field, putting the Blazers on the board at 3-1.
The Cougars responded in the bottom half of the inning with two more runs as Wright and Waites each drove in a run to push the advantage to 5-1. Columbus State added another run in the sixth following a Blazer error to make it 6-1.
VSU mounted a small rally in the seventh when
Chloe Eichelberger and
Alyssa Vallad each recorded singles before
Jayme Prandine brought home
Cailyn Cooke on a fielder's choice to cut the score to 6-2, but the comeback ended there.
The Blazers finished the game with seven hits, including doubles from Prandine and Arnold. McNearney led the offense with two hits and an RBI.
Toree Wofford was charged with the loss after allowing three runs in two innings, while
Madison VanAllen and
Savannah Barfield combined to finish the game in relief.
Game 2: Valdosta State 5, Columbus State 3
The Blazers responded in the second game with a strong offensive burst and a complete game effort in the circle to secure the split.
Valdosta State struck first in the second inning in a big way. After a Columbus State error kept the inning alive and
Adrianna Portanova worked a walk,
Saylor McNearney launched a three-run home run to right field to give the Blazers a 4-0 lead.
Columbus State cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the fourth when Anna Waites connected on a three-run home run to left center, bringing the Cougars within 4-3.
VSU answered in the fifth inning when
Charlotte Phillips crushed a solo home run to center field to extend the lead back to two runs at 5-3.
In the circle,
Giselle Portanova delivered a complete game performance to earn the win. The freshman allowed five hits and three runs while striking out two and issuing just one walk over seven innings.
Offensively, the Blazers recorded eight hits in the victory. Phillips went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, while McNearney drove in four runs with her second-inning blast.
Cailyn Cooke also added two hits in the game.
With the split, Valdosta State moved to 10-11 on the season while Columbus State stands at 13-7.
Valdosta State now returns home to Steel's Diamond at Blazer Park to host a Gulf South Conference series against Delta State. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 14, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m., followed by the series finale on Sunday, March 15, also set to begin at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come out and support the Blazers as they return to conference play.
