LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The 20
th ranked team in the nation, Valdosta State, posted 14 hits and held West Alabama to three to complete the series sweep with a 7-0 win in game three in a Gulf South Conference Softball action at the UWA Softball complex on Sunday.
Valdosta State improves to 17-6-1 overall and 7-5 in the GSC. West Alabama drops its ninth straight game to fall to 6-14 and 0-12.
"Today was better than yesterday," said UWA head coach
Will Atkinson.
"I felt like we got in a bind in the first two innings. Five of their seven runs could have been erased, but at the end of the day, we have to string hits together. We played better defense today, we pitched a bit better, but when you get in that hole early, it makes for a long day."
The Blazers opened the game with three runs in the top of the first before adding two more in the second and fourth. Hayley Cruthers led with three runs batted in on two hits in four at-bats, while also tallying a run. She put VSU on the board with her first RBI on a single in the first. Brandy Morgan followed up with a run double in the same inning.
Cruthers had another RBI single in the second and brought around her final run in the fourth. Six Blazers finished the game with multiple hits, four with extra base hits, while Taylor Hartenbach and Chelsea Canara led with two runs each. Hartenbach went 2-for-3 at the plate and Canara 2-for-4.
Audrey Diekmann accounted for two of UWA's hits in three at-bats.
Ashley Smart followed 1-for-3.
Caitlyn Calhoun (11-3) picked up her second win of the series, striking out five through all seven innings.
Ashley Stassin (2-2) took the loss with four earned runs through four innings. She struck out two and walked two.
"Valdosta State is a good ball club. They're a top 25 ball club for a reason," Atkinson said.
"Unfortunately, we have had a tough go in the early part of the season facing UAH and Valdosta who are both ranked in the top 25 and Delta State, who is leading the conference. We've seen the best of the best in the GSC and hopefully we can make some things happen midweek and be ready to go on the road again to Christian Brothers this weekend."
West Alabama Softball will return to action on Tuesday when it travels to take on Miles College in a double-header. First pitch of game one is set for 4 p.m. in Birmingham, Ala.
