MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Following the 5-1 victory on Thursday over No. 3-ranked Auburn Montgomery, the No. 12-ranked Valdosta State softball team struggled to hit losing the first game 3-2 and the second 2-1 as its season came to an end in the NCAA South Super Regional Friday.

The first game was scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. local time, but lightning in the area pushed the start time of game two back to 5 p.m. CT. After just five pitches into the opener, there was another lightning delay for almost another hour before the game resumed. In the opener, AUM scored three runs in the first two innings as Molly Cobb reached on a fielding error and Kat Fallen scored unearned with two out in the top of the first for the Warhawks.

In the second, a fielder’s choice sacrifice plated a run as AUM used an infield single from Faith Wheat and a Haley Ann Frank single through the left side. Olivia Aycock induced a run down and was out stealing, but Frank scored for a 3-0 lead.

VSU pulled within 3-1 in the bottom of the third as sophomore Morgan Hill belted her eighth round-tripper of the season for a 3-1 deficit. The Blazers then began the bottom of the fourth with a double to left from graduate student Ally Clegg and then, with two out, sophomore Taylor Macera doubled to center field, plating Clegg for a 3-2 deficit.

Blazer hurler Samantha Richards retired the Warhawks in order in the fifth and sixth innings, but in the seventh with two out, Richards and the Blazers preserved the 3-2 deficit, leaving runners at second and third.  In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Katie Proctor singled to center and Macera beat out the throw at first on a beautiful bunt single and junior Taylor Lewis walked to lad the bases with nobody out.

AUM starter Avery Dickerson got a fly out and then she was gifted with a line out double play to end the game, forcing the decisive third game. Richards (28-10) took the loss for the Blazers, going all seven innings, allowing six hits, three runs – two earned, walked one and fanned two for 303 strikeouts for the season to that point.

Offensively, the Blazers had two runs on six hits and three errors, while AUM had three runs on six hits and no errors. Procter and Macera each were 2 for 3 with Macera having one RBI. Hill was 1 for 3 with her eighth home run of the season. Wheat and Frank paced the Warhawks, each going 2 for 3 each with a run scored.

In the decisive third game with the winner advancing to the NCAA National Championship Round next week in Denver, Colo., the Blazers won the coin flip and earned the right to be the “home team” again. VSU sophomore Mia DeAngelis started on the mound and got the first two batters out followed by a Kat Fallen single through the right side and a pair of walks to load the bases. DeAngelis and the Blazers got out of the jam as Lexi Love flied out to left.

Both teams left runners on in the second inning as the Blazers had a great chance at the early lead as Lewis singled up the middle, but sophomore pinch-runner Kayla Tosone was gunned down at the plate. In the top of the third, freshman Madison Lumpp replaced DeAngelis in the circle and Frank began the frame with a walk, while Fallen then doubled Frank home for a 1-0 lead. Richards replaced Lumpp as she fanned the next two batters and got a fly out to left from Love to prevent further damage.

Richards and the Blazers got out of a jam in the fifth as an error put Frank at first with one away. Fallen singled to center and Frank moved third, followed by a fielder’s choice sacrifice as Frank was thrown out on a squeeze play at the plate from Richards to Lewis. Richards then fanned Gia Martin for the final out of the inning.

In the seventh, Wheat began the frame with a triple to left field and scored on an Aycock RBI ground out for a 2-0 lead. Frank doubled down the left field line and Fallen singled up the middle, but Richards fanned Martin, once again, to get out of the jam without any further damage.

VSU had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh, AUM hurler Brinkley Yevak, who stymied the Blazers in the final 5.1 innings yesterday allowing one hit, only had allowed one hit to the bottom of the seventh Friday in the finale. Following two quick outs, Macera reached on a throwing error by Yevak and moved to second.  Lewis came up with her second hit of the game, doubling to right field, plating Macera for a 2-1 deficit. Senior Baylee Everson ground out to first to end the game.

The Blazers finished the season 38-14 and Richards finished with 310 strikeouts for the season, marking the second-most all-time in the history of the Gulf South Conference behind West Florida’s Amber Browning’s mark of 380 set in 2005. Richards now has 610 strikeouts for her career as she is the all-time leader in strikeouts in school history and seventh all-time in GSC history. Richards has one year of eligibility left in 2022-23.

Lumpp (2-1) took the loss, allowing one hit, one earned run and walked one without recording an out, while Richards went five innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, walked none and fanned seven. Yevak (3-2) went all seven innings, allowing two hits, one unearned run, walked three and fanned two.

Despite the loss, the Blazers had a strong season and look to continue to compete for GSC, regional and national championships in 2023.