Juston Lewis | The Valdosta Daily Times VSU softball players surround Lacey Crandall after her walk-off double to end Saturday's doubleheader against Shorter. 

VALDOSTA ––  Valdosta State sophomore Kiley Robb blasted three home runs as the No. 24-ranked Blazers opened Gulf South Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Shorter Saturday afternoon.

The Blazers improved to 7-3 on the year and 2-0 in GSC play, while Shorter fell to 0-7 overall and 0-2 in league play.  Due to the threat of inclement weather today, the series finale has been moved to 10 a.m.

For the doubleheader, VSU hit .375 on 18 of 48, while it scored 14 runs with six doubles and five home runs.  Robb went 5 for 6 with four runs scored, one double, three home runs and seven RBI.  Senior Logan Hill was 3 for 5 with three runs scored and two doubles, while junior Nicole Pennington went 3 for 7 with three runs scored, one home run and one RBI.

The staff held Shorter to a .152 average on 7 of 46 from the dish as the Hawks scored four unearned runs in the two games.  Sophomore Samantha Richards won the opener in relief, while junior Morgan Cushman tossed a complete game shutout in the nightcap.

No. 24 Valdosta State 6, Shorter 4 (Game One)

After a scoreless first inning, the Hawks jumped on the board first in the top of the second of the opener as Kiera Dudley walked and then scored courtesy of a passed ball and an RBI single from Ashley Langel for a 1-0 lead.

The lead was short lived, however, as Robb blasted her second home run of the season to begin the bottom of the second for a 1-1 score.

The Hawks put two on with one out in the top of the third on a single and an error by the Blazers.  After a long battle, junior Shayne O’Connell got a foul out to third, but Dudley answered with a three run shot to dead center for a 4-1 Shorter lead.

A double from freshman Taylor Macera began the bottom of the third and a home run from Gaten pulled the Blazers within 4-3 on Gaten’s team-leading fourth round-tripper of the season.

VSU went to the bullpen in favor of Richards to begin the top of the fourth inning.  Richards retired the Hawks with two strikeouts and a ground out.  In the bottom of the frame, Robb began with a single to shortstop and then advanced to second on an errant throw.  Senior Lacey Crandall put down a great bunt moving Robb to third, but Shorter hurler Shelby Young got out of the jam unscathed.

Richards retired five of the six batters via strikeout in the fifth and sixth innings and junior Nicole Pennington began the bottom of the sixth with a single to left field.  Reigning Gulf South Conference Player of the Week, senior Logan Hill, doubled off the center field wall for two on with nobody out.   Shorter made a move to the bullpen in favor of Julie Sanderlin, replacing Young.  Robb doubled to center, plating two runs for a 5-4 VSU lead.  With two out, Macera singled to right for a RBI and a 6-4 lead, adding the important insurance run.

In the top of the seventh, Richards got the first two outs via pop out and strike out as she retired 11-straight to that point.  Taylor Phillips got an infield single and pinch-hitter Kaylee Combs singled to short for two on with two away.  On the 3-2 count in a long at bat to Sydney Poston, Richards bested her for Richards’ ninth strikeout of the game and the win. 

Richards (1-0) took the win in relief of O’Connell.  Richards went four innings, allowing two hits and fanned nine with no walks.  O’Connell went three innings, allowing three hits, four runs – none earned, walked one and fanned five.

VSU was led by Robb as she was 3 for 3 with two runs scored, a home run and three RBI.  Gaten was 2 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI, along with a home run.  Macera was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a double.

Young took the loss (0-4) for the Hawks.  She went five innings, allowing seven hits, five earned runs, walked none and fanned three, while Sanderlin went one inning, allowing two hits, one earned run, walked one and fanned two.  Dudley went 1 for 2 with two runs scored and three RBI, including a home run for the Hawks.

No. 24 Valdosta State 8, Shorter 0 (Game Two)

In the top of the first in the nightcap, freshman Morgan Cushman induced the double play – the fourth of the season for the Blazers to get out of the inning.  In the bottom of the inning, Pennington belted her fourth home run of the season to left field for a 1-0 lead.  Following a walk, Robb belted her third home run of the season and second of the day for a 3-0 lead. 

Robb belted her third home run of the day with a two run shot down the left field line for a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth for the Blazers.   In the bottom of the sixth, senior Haley Garrett began the inning with a single, followed by a fielder’s choice from senior Natalia Bellinger, who then stole second and advanced to third on an error.  A sacrifice fly from Gaten plated Bellinger for a 6-0 lead.  VSU loaded the bases with two out and a chance to end the game in the sixth.   Crandall belted a two run double to right for an 8-0 score and the walk-off.

Robb finished the nightcap 2 for 4 with two runs scored, two home runs and four RBI.  Pennington was 2 for 4 with two runs scored, a home run and one RBI, while Hill was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and two walks. 

Cushman (2-1) allowed two hits, walked three and fanned four for the win, while Courtney Pinkston (0-3) took the loss for Shorter.