VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with No. 25 Nova Southeastern on Sunday afternoon. The Sharks took the first game in five innings, 12-0, before the Blazer struck back to take the second game, 7-6.
Following the doubleheader, Valdosta State now sits at 20-13 overall while Nova Southeastern holds a 21-8 record.
Game 1: Nova Southeastern 12, Valdosta State 0 (5 Innings)
The Sharks struck first on an RBI single up the middle before a Blazer fielding error added another run for Nova Southeastern with NSU leading 2-0 by the end of the first. Nova added another run on a base knock in the second inning to build its lead to three, 3-0.
NSU added onto its lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI double to go up by four, 4-0. The Sharks went on to have a massive inning in the top of the fifth, cracking four hits including a solo home run and a grand slam to go up 12-0.
The Blazers were not able to overcome the 12-run lead of the Sharks as VSU dropped the first game of the doubleheader in five innings, 12-0.
Freshman Toree Wofford (7-2) got the start in the circle for the Blazers, going 4.1 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. She allowed four earned runs on seven hits. Meanwhile graduate student Nadia Zenteno went two batters while allowing seven runs on three hits with three walks.
The Blazers were only able to muster two hits in the first contest of the day as sophomore Lexi Patterson recorded both hits with a double to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.
Game 2: Valdosta State 7, Nova Southeastern 6
Nova Southeastern got on the board first in the second matchup of the day as a single up the middle scored one for the Sharks in top of the second, 1-0. However, the Blazers continued to fight as a double from senior Morgan Hill scored two, giving VSU its first runs of the day in the bottom of the second, 2-1.
Nova came back and loaded the base in the top of the third but were only able to score one run on an RBI walk to tie the contest up at 2-2. The Sharks pounced on the Blazers once again in the top of the fourth, racking up four runs on four hits including a three-run homer to take a four-run lead, 6-2.
VSU remained resilient and struck back for a big inning in the bottom of the fourth. The frame kicked off with Patterson and sophomore Saylor McNearney slicing back-to-back singles before sophomore Jayme Prandine reached on a bunt.
With the bases-loaded, junior Brandie Seber and Hill hit back-to-back singles to add on two runs in favor of the Blazers, 6-4. Junior Abby Sulte then took a bases-loaded walk before senior Aniston Gano tallied an RBI groundout to even the game back up at 6-6.
With the game all knotted up, Abby Sulte stepped up to the plate and scored the go-ahead run on her 22nd homer of the season to give the Blazers the 7-6 lead by the end of the sixth.
The Valdosta State defense was able to hang on in the top of the seventh as Lexi Patterson capped off a fantastic afternoon with a game-saving catch at the fence to score the game two victory, 7-6.
Junior Savannah Barfield got the start at pitcher in the second game of the afternoon, going 3.1 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
She allowed five runs on seven hits. Junior Madison Lumpp closed out the game for VSU, going 3.2 innings with three walks and one strikeout. She allowed just one earned run on two hits in the final innings of the game.
Valdosta State tallied 11 hits in the game including a double from Hill as well as a double and home run from Sulte. The late game heroics at the plate from Sulte put the Blazers in a prime position to earn the game two win, earning her Guardian Bank Player of the Game.
The Blazers will now set their sights back on the Gulf South Conference, namely the Montevallo Falcons. VSU is set to head to Montevallo, Alabama on Friday, March 29 for the start of the series which kicks off with a doubleheader at 4 p.m. ET.
The series will conclude with a single game on Saturday, March 30 at 1 p.m. ET. For more information on that series as well as all things Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and head to the softball schedule page.