VALDOSTA —
Valdosta State has a new winningest softball coach.
Thomas Macera became the winningest coach in Valdosta State softball history Sunday afternoon, and he earned the tying and record-setting wins the same way he had earned many of his previous wins — with a doubleheader sweep against a Gulf South Conference opponent.
Valdosta State won a pair of games against GSC rival West Florida, 9-1 and 4-0, on Sunday at the VSU Softball Complex.
“Big weekend for us, to go 4-0,” Macera said.
Macera won his 304th career game at Valdosta State, passing the late Ron Durante, who won 303 games at VSU. Macera was an assistant coach under Durante for a few years.
“I’m proud of (the record). It’s hard work,” Macera said. “(Durante) taught me a lot. He taught me what to do and what not to do. I still miss him.”
Macera said that a lot of the credit for the record should go to the players he has had at Valdosta State.
“I don’t believe it’s really my coaching. It’s a testament to the quality of players I’ve had to play here,” Macera said. “I’ve had so many good players, so many All-Americans and just so many other good quality players. ... That’s where your wins are coming from, the good teams we’ve been blessed with.”
Valdosta State 9, West Florida 1
The Blazers scored seven runs in the final two innings, and turned a 2-1 lead into a 9-1 mercy rule victory in game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader.
West Florida took a brief lead in the top of the first, when Amber Ingram doubled down the left field line to drive in Emma Johansen from second, giving the Argonauts a 1-0 lead.
Marti Littlefield, Valdosta State’s All-American shortstop, gave her team a lead it would not relinquish with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the first. With Samantha Posey on first and two outs, Littlefield drove a Jordan Ratliff pitch over the fence in left field for a two-run homer, giving VSU a 2-1 lead.
VSU added three runs to its lead in the bottom of the fourth. Ashley Steinhilber led off the inning with a seeing-eye single up the middle, and was bunted to second by Angela O’Connor. Then Clare Wamsley ripped the ball into the gap in left center. The ball bounced once, hit Colonel Sanders’ face on the Kentucky Fried Chicken sign and drove in Steinhilber. April Hutchens followed with a double into the left field corner, scoring Wamsley. The Argonauts changed pitchers, and when Sarah Scott’s first pitch was in the dirt, Hutchens went to third. Courtney Albritton grounded to short, but Hutchens scored, giving the Blazers a 5-1 lead.
Then the Blazers ended the game with four more runs in the fifth. Littlefield led off with a double off of the fence in right center, moved to third on Natalia Morozova’s infield single and scored on a wild pitch. Two outs later, Hutchens doubled to left, driving in O’Connor and Wamsley to make it 8-1. Then Albritton’s deep fly ball landed at the base of the fence in left center, and Hutchens scored to give the Blazers a 9-1 lead. That ended the game, due to the mercy rule.
Hutchens went 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs. Littlefield was 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs. Wamsley went 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI. Albritton had a pair of RBIs. Posey also had two hits.
“There’s a whole bunch of people on this team getting stuff done for us,” Macera said. “Our eight and nine hitters (Wamsley and Hutchens) had big hits today, had clutch hits today. It’s not just the marquee names here making all the plays. It’s everybody.”
Valdosta State pitcher Alanna Hadley (9-1) held West Florida to one run and three hits in five innings, and struck out six.
Valdosta State 4, West Florida 0
Courtney Gunby pitched six-plus scoreless innings, and the Blazers completed the doubleheader sweep with a 4-0 win in game 2.
Valdosta State broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs. With one out, Morgan Johnson and Posey hit back-to-back singles. Then Littlefield drilled a one-hopper to the fence, and Johnson and Posey scored to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead.
Albritton continued what has been a monster freshman season when she blasted a fifth-inning pitch over the center field fence for a solo home run. It was her team-leading eighth homer of the season, and it gave VSU a 3-0 lead.
The Blazers’ final run came in the bottom of the sixth. Steinhilber walked to lead off the inning, and pinch runner Fran Johnson was sacrificed to second. Then Wamsley lined the ball off of the Wild Adventures sign in left center, driving in Johnson and giving VSU a 4-0 lead.
Gunby (4-0) held UWF to three hits in six-plus innings, and struck out four batters. Hadley came out of the bullpen to get the final three outs.
“(The pitchers) did phenomenal,” Macera said. “Hadley pitched unbelievable. ... Gunby pitched unbelievable, a three-hitter against a team that can hit.”
Albritton was the only Blazer with more than one hit in game 2, going 2 for 4 with a home run.
Valdosta State will host West Georgia on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the VSU Softball Complex.
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Valdosta State head coach Thomas Macera talks to his team during practice last year. On Sunday, Macera won the 304th game of his career at Valdosta State, setting a new school record. Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times
-
Alanna Hadley was the winning pitcher in game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader against West Florida, then finished game 2 in relief. Ed Hooper | The Valdosta Daily Times
Discussion
Record win for Macera
Blazers sweep DH from West Florida, give coach his 304th win at VSU
- Local Sports
-
-
Blazers take 1-0 series lead
Angela O’Connor launched a pinch-hit two-run home run over the left-field fence, tying the game against Alabama-Huntsville in the bottom of the sixth inning, and sparking the Blazers and their fans along the way.
-
Blazer baseball stays alive, beats Stillman
Valdosta State scored five runs in the first inning to defeat Stillman 6-2 in an elimination game of the NCAA South Region Tournament at UT Baseball Field Friday morning.
-
Lowndes’ Harwell, Wortham sign with Valdosta State
Lowndes’ Ty Harwell and David Wortham won’t have to go far to play college baseball.
-
Blazers host respected rival UAH in Super Regional
One would expect a matchup featuring two of the top softball programs in Division II to come in the national championship game.
Unfortunately for Valdosta State and Alabama-Huntsville, who have combined to appear in four straight national championship games, they won’t be meeting in title game on Memorial Day in Salem, Va. -
Pop Warner Football coming to Valdosta
Pop Warner Football is coming to Valdosta.
The nationally known organization that puts an emphasis on education and developing American youth has been established in the Valdosta area and will begin playing football this August. -
Blazers lose to Delta State, fall to loser’s bracket
If the Valdosta State baseball team is going to win the South Region Tournament, the Blazers going to have to do it from the loser’s bracket.
The Blazers (33-17) dropped their first game of the tournament Thursday, falling to Delta State 4-2 at UT Baseball Stadium.
VSU will face Stillman College, which lost to No. 1 seed and tournament host Tampa Thursday, Friday at 11 a.m. to advance to the weekend portion of the tournament. The loser will be eliminated. -
Lowndes’ Willis, Breit named Region 1 Coaches of the Year
The All-Region 1-AAAAAA soccer teams were announced Wednesday and Lowndes was well represented.
Lowndes coaches Chris Willis (girls) and Jordan Breit (boys) were named the Region Coaches of the Year, after leading the Lowndes teams to region championships and going undefeated in region play. -
Vikings commit 4 errors, fall to Roswell, 5-2
The small things matter in baseball, especially in a winner-take-all game three.
On Wednesday, Lowndes’ baseball team made too many mistakes on the little things. The Vikings committed four errors that led to five Roswell runs and were eliminated in the Class AAAAAA state playoffs with a 5-2 loss to the Hornets. -
Vikings, Hornets split
For the first time this postseason, Lowndes’ baseball team will have to play a decisive game three in order to advance to the next round of the state playoffs.
After splitting with Roswell Tuesday, the Vikings will host the Hornets in game three of the state quarterfinals series today at Noel George Field. First pitch of the winner-take-all game is set for 4:30 p.m. and Lowndes will be the home team after winning the coin toss following Tuesday’s doubleheader. -
Former Lady Blazer Ferguson hired to lead Vikettes
The sign above the door still has Shan Garner’s name on it. There is even a Shan Garner plaque sitting on one of the shelves in the corner of the gymnasium office.
That will soon change, though, as Lowndes has hired its newest girls’ basketball coach. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
