No. 16 Blazers sweep doubleheader at Georgia Southwestern

Published 9:00 am Friday, March 29, 2019

AMERICUS –– Behind three home runs and strong pitching outings, the No. 16 Valdosta State softball team battled back from deficits in both games of a doubleheader at Georgia Southwestern Thursday afternoon, for a doubleheader sweep of the Lady Canes, 6-2 and 10-2.

In the twin bill, VSU tallied 16 hits with seven extra-base hits, including four doubles and three home runs by three different players en route to the sweep. Junior Natalia Bellinger went 3 for 5 with two runs scored, a home run and three RBI, while junior Lacey Crandall was 2 for 4 with two run scored, two doubles and four RBI. Senior Kasie Johnson won the opener and sophomore Caylie Van Auken picked up the win in the nightcap.

VSU swept the season series with the Lady Canes as three of the four games were by way of a run-rule. The Blazers hit .330 against GSW in the four wins, while outscoring the Lady Canes, 35-5. VSU tallied 30 hits in the four games with nine doubles and six round-trippers.

No. 16 Valdosta State 6, Georgia Southwestern 2 (Game 1) 

In the opener, the Lady Canes struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Amiee Oglesby hit a two run home run to center field for a 2-0 lead.

VSU came back in the third as sophomore Fallyn Johnson began the frame with a single and advanced to third on a wild pitch. She then scored on a ground out for a 2-1 deficit. The Blazers added two runs in the fourth as sophomore Kiley Robb began the inning with a double to center, followed by a junior Haley Garrett RBI single and junior Natalia Bellinger used a squeeze bunt single for a 3-2 lead.

The Blazers got out of a jam in the fourth as GSW put two on with two out, but senior Kasie Johnson got the final out to avoid damage in the frame. In the top of the sixth, VSU Bellinger came up with her second infield RBI single of the game for a 4-2 lead, and the Blazers extended the lead to 6-2 in the seventh with a junior Taylor Strickland double and junior Dream Aaron plated two runs with a home run to center. It was Aaron’s fourth round-tripper of the season.

Johnson went the distance as she improved to 11-3 on the year, allowing six hits, two earned runs, walked one and fanned three. Bellinger went 2 for 3 with two RBI. Aaron was 1 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI. Shannon Gibson (7-2) took the loss in seven innings, allowing eight hits, six earned runs, walked two and struck out two. Oglesby was 1 for 2 with a run scored and two RBI.

No. 16 Valdosta State 10, Georgia Southwestern 2 (Game 2, five innings) 

In the nightcap, GSW took the early lead, once again, on a two run home run from Elizabeth Wills with nobody out. VSU sophomore hurler Caylie Van Auken settled down and retired the side. In the top of the second, with two out, VSU capitalized on a walk to Garrett as she then stole scored and scored on an error for a 2-1 score. Following a walk to junior Logan Hill, junior Lacey Crandall doubled to left, plating Hill for 2-2 score.

The Blazers added two runs in the top of the fourth on back-to-back jacks from Bellinger and Garrett, marking the first time of back-to-back home runs this season for 4-2 lead. VSU added a third run in the frame on a single up the middle from F. Johnson as Crandall scored on a miscue by the Lady Canes for a 5-2 lead.

A pair of walks loaded the bases for the Blazers in the top of the fifth inning as GSW was on its second pitcher of the inning and third hurler of the game. Crandall came up huge with a three RBI double up the middle for an 8-2 lead. Following a hit batsmen and a wild pitch advancing two runners to second and third, GSW went to the bullpen, once again. A passed ball plated both runners for a 10-2 score.

The Lady Canes loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth on a pair of infield singles and a hit batsmen. Van Auken ended the game with a pair of backwards K’s for the win in a run-rule game.

For the nightcap, VSU had four players with multi-hit games as Crandall was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and a game-high four RBI and two doubles. The Blazers scored ten runs on five hits, while GSW had two runs on six hits and two errors, leading to three unearned runs. Van Auken (7-3) went five innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs, walked two and fanned nine.

GSW starter Jennifer Jernigan (6-8) took the loss in 3.2 innings, allowing three hits, four earned runs, walked two and fanned eight. Chloe Zoeller went 3 for 3 with a run scored, while Wills went 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored.

The Blazers return home to host Auburn Montgomery in a key Gulf South Conference series March 30-31 at Steel’s Diamond. Saturday’s twin bill begins at 4 p.m., followed by a single game Sunday at 1 p.m. The series will be broadcast on 92.1 WDDQ FM with Chris Caray having the call. Links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more can be found at vstateblazers.com on the softball schedule page.