OXFORD, Ala. – The University of West Florida softball team's season came to a close on Thursday afternoon, as the Argonauts fell in the Gulf South Conference Championship by a score of 8-4 to Valdosta State.
 
The Argonauts finish their season at 22-23 overall.
 
Valdosta State took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, with a sacrifice fly followed by a three-run home run.
 
But West Florida fought back in the second, moving Hannah Harper to the circle where she threw a three up, three down inning. The Argonauts then got a double from Emma Brice and a single from Madelyn Vasquez, before Kayanna Perez hit a sharp grounder to third that brought in Brice.
 
The Argonauts added another run in the third to cut the VSU lead to 4-2. Harper hit a leadoff double, Chelsea Dumas moved her over with a sacrifice bunt, and Erin Moon lifted a sacrifice fly to bring Harper across.
 
Valdosta State added two more runs in the top of the fourth to stretch the lead to 6-2, but UWF got a critical 5-2-3 double play in the inning to limit the damage.
 
The Blazers added a run in both the fifth and sixth innings to put the lead at 8-2.
 
West Florida again kept fighting in the seventh, adding a pair of runs with a Kayla Mayo double and a sacrifice fly from Harper to cut the deficit to the final 8-4.
 
Montana Young got the start and was charged with four runs in an inning of work, and she was followed by Hannah Harper in the circle. Harper went 6.0 innings in relief and was charged with four runs in the outing.
 
Madelyn Vasquez led UWF with a pair of hits on the day.