VALDOSTA –– The No. 4 Valdosta State softball team earned the series sweep as it defeated Union University Lady Bulldogs, 5-3 on Monday afternoon. VSU scored five runs on seven hits, including one home run.

VSU junior Logan Hill continued her hot streak as she started off the first inning with a double off the right field fence to plate sophomore Taylor Strickland in the bottom of the first. Hill crossed the plate on a wild pitch to put the Lady Blazers up 2-0 early.

Union answered back with a solo home run in the second inning off the bat of Harley Barnette for a 2-1 score.

The Lady Blazers responded in the third as junior Jordenne Gaten reached on a fielder’s choice before junior Dream Aaron crushed a double to right field to plate Gaten and extend the VSU lead to 3-1. Aaron scored from another double off the bat of Hill to push the Lady Blazers ahead 4-1 at the end of three innings of play.

In the fourth, Union’s Sarah Smith singled to right field to score Kaitlyn Kelly and cut VSU’s lead in half once again. In the bottom of the inning, sophomore Kiley Robb smoked a solo home run over the right field wall to put the Lady Blazers up 5-2. The home run was Robb’s second of the season and the team’s 21st total.

Union answered back in the sixth with a run off of a single up the middle, but the Lady Blazers were able to shut down the offensive surge as the Lady Bulldogs left the bags full. Union had the tying run ath the plate in the seventh, but was unable to score.

For the game, Hill went 2 for 3 with a run scored, two RBI and two doubles while Aaron recorded a hit and an RBI for the red and black.

Senior hurler Kasie Johnson (6-1) recorded the win on the mound for VSU in six innings of work, as she only allowed three hits and two runs with no walks, and struck out seven in 18 batters faced.

The Lady Blazers return to action at home, Wednesday, March 6th, at Steel’s Diamond when they host a doubleheader against the visiting Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes. The non-conference matchup is set to start at 4 p.m., before VSU travels to Mississippi College over the weekend for another Gulf South matchup.