VALDOSTA —
For the second consecutive day, Natalia Morozova was the hero for the Valdosta State softball team.
On Friday night, Morozova’s RBI double in the 16th inning carried the Blazers past the Florida Southern Moccasins. On Saturday, it was Morozova’s two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning that carried the Blazers to a 2-0 win and a trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
“This is all you want for your kids,” Valdosta State head coach Thomas Macera said. “You want to be in championship play, and you want to win championships.”
Morozova’s homer capped off a special eight days for the senior first baseman. Last Saturday, Morozova graduated from VSU and turned 21 on the same day, then she helped the Blazers earn a spot in the Super Regional. Then she delivered the game-winning RBI on back-to-back days to lift the top-ranked Blazers to the national tournament for the second time in three years.
“It has been a blessing from God,” Morozova said. “He has been with us all the time, throughout the whole season. We praised him every time we won, every time we lost. And He was with us all the time.”
The home run was just the second hit of the day for the Blazers, after Samantha Posey, who was 0 for 7 on Friday night, led off the inning with a single. She was pinch ran for by Fran Johnson, who scored on Morozova’s home run.
“(Morozova) is hot right now,” Macera said. “She hit good all year. She is a big hitter on this team.”
VSU pitcher Alanna Hadley was stellar, pitching a total of 23 innings in the series. On Saturday, Hadley went the distance, allowing no runs on just six hits. She struck out two batters.
“(Alanna) played great,” Macera said. “She kept us close, and we had to make some plays behind her, but she gave us plays that we could make. She did her job, she put balls in play and the defense did its job behind her.”
Once again, hits were hard to come by off of Florida Southern pitcher Christine Clark, who allowed just five hits to VSU on the day. But when the Blazers needed a big swing, they got it.
The Mocs had several opportunities to even the game or take the lead, but the Blazer defense was able to cover. In the first inning, Florida Southern’s leadoff batter, Karlyn Scott, reached base on a single, but was later thrown out at third base after trying to advance on a routine ground ball to shortstop.
The play started with a grounder to Marti Littlefield at short, and after Morozova tagged first base, she threw a bullet to Posey at third base, who applied the tag on Scott.
“We just play our defense, our game and that is all we have to do to win,” Morozova said.
An inning later, runs seemed likely for the Mocs, after Hadley hit Brittany Martin with a pitch to start the inning. Then Dayna Hunn delivered a single into right field, and Martin advanced to third base, narrowly beating the throw from Clare Wamsley in right field. But the play wasn’t over, as Wamsley’s throw got away from Posey at the base. Martin attempted to take home, but was tagged out by catcher Ashley Steinhilber, after Hadley threw the ball home.
The out saved a run, and the inning ended two batters later.
From there, Hadley limited FSC to just four more base runners, one coming in the fifth and sixth innings and two coming in the bottom of the seventh. In every inning, Florida Southern got a runner into scoring position, but failed to get the runners across.
The win marked the final home game for the eight seniors on the Valdosta State roster, five of whom played all four years at VSU, including second baseman April Hutchens.
“This has been the best experience of my life,” said Hutchens, who fought off tears during the interview. “To know this is my last time on this field, and these girls have played their hearts out, and to know that we won the Super Regionals and that we are going to the National Championships again, I am speechless.”
Valdosta State will open the national tournament on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. The games will be carried live on Talk 92.1 FM in Valdosta and South Georgia.
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Related Photos
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Valdosta State’s softball team poses with the trophy after defeating Florida Southern 2-0 in the final game of the South Super Regional on Saturday at the VSU Softball Complex. Bubba Thomas | Valdosta State FCA
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Valdosta State's Natalia Morozova arrives at home plate after hitting a two-run homer on Saturday, as her teammates wait to celebrate the home run with her. Bubba Thomas | Valdosta State FCA
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Valdosta State head coach Thomas Macera, left, congratulates Natalia Morozova after Morozova’s two-run homer in the fourth inning of Saturday’s game against Florida Southern. Morozova’s home run helped the Blazers earn a 2-0 victory. Bubba Thomas | Valdosta State FCA
Discussion
South Region champions!
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