DECATUR, Ala. —
The top-ranked Valdosta State softball team split two games on Saturday at the Charger Chillout.
No. 15 Indianapolis used a seventh inning home run to top No. 1 Valdosta State 3-2 in the first game of the day for the Blazers. Then VSU rebounded for a 11-1 victory over Lander in the second game in softball action at the Charger Chillout.
With the split, Valdosta State moved to 7-1 on the season.
In the first game of the day, Indianapolis claimed a hard fought win as it got a two-run walk-off home run from Samantha Krcelich in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Hanna Lythberg struck out the first two batters of the home-side of the seventh, Jennifer DeMotte singled to keep the game alive. Krechlich proceeded to line a ball down the line in left that made it over the fence to give the Greyhounds the victory.
Indianapolis started the game 1 scoring in the bottom of the second inning when Taylor Russell hit a one-out solo home run, only to have the Blazers tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Karson King singled to open the VSU half of the fourth and was lifted for pinch runner Brittany Britt. An error on an Angela O’Connor sacrifice bunt put runners at first and second before Ashley Steinhilber also laid down a sacrifice bunt. A throwing error by Kelsey Rummel on the play allowed Britt to score to knot the game at a run each.
Courtney Albritton gave Valdosta State the lead in the top of the seventh inning as she hit her team-leading fifth home run.
Lythberg fell to 2-1 on the season as she allowed four hits, four walks and two earned runs while striking out eight in 4.2 innings of relief work. Meanwhile, Morgan Foley improved to 2-0 after giving up three hits and two walks, against 12 strikeouts, as well as two runs, only one of which was earned, in a complete game outing.
The Blazers were never challenged as, after Lander scored its only run on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, VSU scored 11 unanswered. Steinhilber singled home two runs in the second inning for VSU while Fran Johnson scored two more with a hit in the third, during which Steinhilber added a RBI ground out.
King plated Albritton, who opened the fourth with a double, with an infield hit to push VSU’s advantage to 6-1 while Morgan Johnson, Sarah Vaughn and King all had run-scoring hits in the fifth, during which Shelby Altman also drove in two.
Kenzi Reed allowed four hits and a run while striking out six to earn the victory.
Albritton led Valdosta State offensively in the game with five hits while King had three hits and two driven in.
The Blazers conclude the Charger Chillout Sunday with a pair of games. VSU will play Palm Beach Atlantic at noon and Wayne State at 2 p.m.
Local Sports
No. 1 Blazers split at Charger Chillout
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