Game Two Box Score

VALDOSTA, Ga. – The University of West Florida softball team dropped two games to No. 4 Valdosta State University at Steel’s Diamond at Blazer Park on Saturday. West Florida fell to Valdosta State 5-3 in game one before dropping the nightcap 4-1.

UWF scored first in the top of the fourth inning. Caroline Kaston (Niceville, Fla./Wallace CC) advanced Danielle Sanders (Leesburg, Fla./St. Petersburg College) into scoring position off sacrifice bunt. Junior Kasie Buckley (Little Rock, Miss./East Central CC) hit a RBI single up the middle to score Sanders from second for the first run of the game.

West Florida extended their lead to three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Sanders advanced Audrey Harner (Celina, Ohio/Cypress College) into scoring position off a sacrifice bunt before Buckley would drive in another run as she singled down the left field life to score Harner. Elizabeth Nugent (Ruskin, Fla./East Bay HS) would follow Buckley with her own RBI-single to bring in Kaston.

The No. 4-ranked Valdosta State Blazers lived up to their national ranking as they exploded in the bottom of the seventh inning to score five runs off four hits. VSU pinch-hitter Lindsey Hamlin stepped up big for VSU in the bottom of the seventh with a game-tying, three-run home run to deep center field. Valdosta State would go on to win the game with a walk-off, two-run home run from Morgan Johnson.

Gulf South Conference ERA leader Taylor Bailey (Austin, Texas/University of Louisiana Monroe) went six scoreless innings before allowing five runs to score in the bottom of the seventh. Bailey was charged with four earned runs en route to her seventh loss of the season. The Austin, Texas native struck out four and allowed eight hits in the game-one loss.

UWF scored first in the game-two loss as Buckley hit a RBI-double to deep right-center field to bring in Sanders.

Valdosta State responded in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Blazers scored four runs off five hits to take the three-run lead.

Jordan Ratliff (Petersburg, Mich./Owens CC) was charged with the loss in game two after allowing four earned runs off of five hits. Redshirt freshman Lauren Register (Vernon, Fla./Vernon HS) came in a relief effort for Ratliff in the fourth inning and struck out six batters and did not allow a run in 2.2 innings.

West Florida will next play host to a pair of Gulf South Conference opponents next weekend at the UWF Softball Complex. UWF will play a doubleheader with Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday, April 13 starting at 1 p.m. CT. West Florida will wrap up the home stand with two games against West Alabama starting 2 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 14.

For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.