LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Nationally ranked No. 20 Valdosta State totaled nine home runs to sweep West Alabama Softball 9-1 and 18-0 in a Gulf South Conference double-header at the UWA Softball complex on Saturday.
Valdosta State improves to 16-6-1 overall and 6-5 in the GSC. West Alabama's losing skid extends to eight games as it falls to 6-13 and 0-11.
"There's nothing you can do to defend the homerun," said UWA head coach
Will Atkinson.
"A couple of them hit good pitches, but we left the majority up in the zone, and in this league they're going to hit it. When you leave it up there, it's going to get hammered. I've been coaching for 20 years, and I still haven't figured out how to defend the ball that goes out of the park."
Six different Blazer batters totaled homers, led by Kiley Rusen and Heather Robinson who each tallied one in both games. Both of Rusen's first shot came as a single run in the top of the first of game one, while the second scored two runs in the first inning of game two. She totaled five runs batted in and finished 7-of-8 at the plate with five runs, hitting 4-for-4 in game one with three runs and three RBI.
Robinson went 5-for-5 through both games five RBI and four runs. Her second homer also brought around two runs in game two, following her first solo shot in game one.
Brandy Morgan added the third home run for VSU in the second inning of game one for her only hit of the day.
Ashley Stassin put the Tigers on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning with a homer of her own, accounting for the only UWA run and one of the team's four hits. The Blazers finished the game with 12 hits.
Valdosta State scored multiple runs in all five innings of game two on 15 hits, including five runs in the first and six in the fourth. Jaime Phillips belted a two run home run in the top of the third, while Hayley Cruthers entered in the fourth crushing a three run homer.
Caitlyn Calhoun (10-3) picked up the win in game one, striking out six batters and walking only two.
Amanda Medders (2-6) took the loss allowing five earned runs on six hits through two innings.
Huntyre Elling (5-3) struck out five and gave up only four hits to grab the win in game two.
Allie Kelley (0-2) allowed seven runs on four hits to take the loss.
The series will conclude with game three on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the UWA Softball Complex.
