MEMPHIS, Tenn.- The No. 10 Valdosta State softball team defeated Christian Brothers in the series finale of a three-game Gulf South Conference matchup, 12-0, to earn its third GSC series sweep and fifth conference series win. The victory was also the seventh-straight game of double digit scoring for the Blazers. With the win, the Blazers improved to 24-4 overall and 13-2 in conference play while the Buccaneers fell to 6-19 overall and 1-11 in league play.
The Blazers went to work in the top of the second inning as junior Taylor Macera made it to second base on a Buccaneer dropped fly ball to kick off the frame. Freshman Jasmin Stewart then singled to center, advancing to second base on the throw as Macera advanced to third. With Blazers on second and third, junior Kinzie Nelson hit a sacrifice fly to center field to send Macera home and put VSU up 1-0 early.
In the top of the third, The Blazer bats continued to heat up as freshman Jayme Prandine reached base on a fielder's choice before sophomore Abby Sulte crushed a homer to left center, giving Valdosta State a quick 3-0 lead. Later in that same inning, the Blazers got into a bases-loaded opportunity behind a single from junior Katie Proctor, a double from Macera and a hit by pitch walk from Stewart. Nelson then took a bases-loaded walk to add another run to the VSU lead, 4-0, before freshman Saylor McNearney blasted a grand slam to right center, giving the Blazers an 8-0 cushion by the end of the frame. McNearney's grand slam is the fourth for the Blazers in the last seven days as Macera had one last Sunday and senior Taylor Lewis had two this week, one Wednesday and one Saturday.
The VSU offensive blitz continued in the top of the fourth as Prandine walked to begin the inning. This led to Lewis smacking a base hit up the middle to put runners on the corners. Freshman Evie Pitts was put on first to pinch run for Lewis before Proctor hit a single of her own to score Prandine from third as the Blazers went up 9-0. Junior Kayla Tosone was put on first to pinch run for Proctor as she stole second and Pitts stole home to tack on another run for VSU, 10-0. With Tosone now at second, Macera cracked her second double of the day to score Tosone and give Valdosta State an 11-run lead, 11-0. The Blazers managed to get a bases-loaded opportunity once again behind a pair of walks before junior Morgan Hill took a bases-loaded walk to add another VSU run, 12-0. For the remainder of the game, the Valdosta State defense was able to hold the Buccaneers to no runs as the eight-run rule was put in place at the conclusion of the fifth inning, giving VSU its 24th victory and third conference series sweep of the season.
Senior Samantha Richards was in the circle for VSU, recording her 18th victory, 17th complete game and fifth shutout of the year. In five total innings, she struck out five, walked one and allowed three hits for no runs. At the dish for the Blazers, McNearney recorded one hit and one run in the form of a booming grand slam for four RBI.
The Blazers will return to the road on Wednesday, Mar. 22 at 3 p.m. to take on Saint Leo in an evening doubleheader.
