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VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State softball team split a doubleheader with West Florida in the 2024 home opener on Wednesday afternoon. The Blazers took the first game of the day 13-5 in six innings before falling in the nightcap, 6-4.

VSU now sits at 6-6 overall heading into Gulf South Conference play this weekend while UWF holds a 5-4 overall record.

GAME 1: Valdosta State 13, West Florida 5 (6 Innings)

The Argonauts kicked off scoring in the first game of the afternoon as a single and a Blazer fielding error gave UWF the early lead in the top of the first, 1-0. VSU responded in a big way in the bottom of the first as junior Abby Sulte crushed her fifth home run of the year on a two-run shot to put Valdosta State in front 2-1. Senior Katie Proctor then launched a home run of her own on a solo shot to build the Blazer lead up to two by the end of the first, 3-1.

Graduate student Melkayla Irvis kept the Blazer offense going in the bottom of the second as she blasted her first home run of the year on a two-run homer, putting the Blazers up 5-1. Later in the inning, GSC Player of the Week Abby Sulte delivered once again, rocketing a three-run home run to left center, giving VSU an 8-1 lead by the end of the inning.

UWF cracked a solo home run in the top of the third to nudge the contest a bit closer at 8-2 before senior Morgan Hill sliced an RBI double down the left line to give VSU the seven-run lead right back in the bottom of the third, 9-2.

The Blazers earned another run on a bases-loaded single from senior Aniston Gano to go up 10-2 in the fourth inning. The Argonauts struck back in the fifth inning, racking up 3 runs on five hits including a pair of home runs to cut the Valdosta State lead to just five, 10-5.

In the top of the sixth, the Blazer bats caught fire once again as Gano launched a two-run shot of her own to go up seven, 12-5. The VSU offense was not done just yet as junior Carly Bogart called game on a solo homer to end the game in the sixth behind the run rule, 13-5.

Graduate student Nadia Zenteno (2-3) picked up the win in the circle, going 4.2 innings, allowing six hits for five runs with one strikeout and one walk. Overall, the Blazer offense held a home run party in the matchup, collectively launching six home runs in the game with 10 hits total.

The Blazers were led at the dish by Sulte, who continues to be a force at the plate, going two of three with two home runs for three total runs and five RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game.

GAME 2: West Florida 6, Valdosta State 4

West Florida got the scoring started early in the second game of the afternoon as the Argonaut’s Erin Moon hit a two-run homer to take the swift 2-0 lead in the top of the first just before Hannah Harper cracked a solo shot to put UWF up 3-0 by the end of the frame.

The Blazers began to chip away at the Argonauts lead in the bottom of the second when junior Brandie Seber blasted a triple up the middle. Gano ended up cashing in the run on a sacrifice fly to cut into the UWF lead, 3-1.

West Florida blasted its third home run of the game in the top of the third to go up by three once again, 4-1. However, the Blazers continued to battle in the bottom of the fourth as Sulte crushed her third home run of the afternoon, cutting the Argonaut lead to two, 4-2.

In the top of the fifth, the Blazers were able to escape a bases-loaded situation only giving up one run for the frame, 5-2 before a double and a Blazer fielding error gave the Argos another run in the sixth, 6-2.

Valdosta State started to get a rally going in the sixth when Gano snagged a base hit to score Sulte from second, 6-3. Bogart then hit a single to score Seber, pulling the Blazers within two, 6-4.

With one Blazer baserunner on, sophomore Jasmin Stewart cracked a ball to deep center field that was just short of tying the game, getting caught at the fence. The Blazers ended up coming up just short by the end of the seventh as the Argonauts forced the doubleheader split, 6-4.

The Blazers had a collective three pitcher enter the circle in the contest, but junior Madison Lumpp (2-1) was credited with the loss. Overall, the VSU pitching staff gave up nine hits for six runs with one strikeout and a walk. The Blazers tallied four hits in the contest, led by Bogart who went two of three at the plate with a double for an RBI to earn Guardian Bank Player of the Game honors.

The Blazer softball team will be right back in action at Steel’s Diamond this weekend when it opens conference play against Auburn Montgomery. VSU will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. before hosting the final game on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. For more information on Valdosta State softball, visit vstateblazers.com and go to the softball schedule page.