VALDOSTA, Ga. – It was a pair of split results for UWF Softball (5-4) as the Argos struggled containing Valdosta State's potent hitting in a 13-5 game 1 loss but bounced back for a strong 6-4 win in game 2.
Emma Brice was the catalyst for UWF's success at the plate today, with the sophomore acquiring four hits on eight at-bats with five runs, three home runs, and three RBIs. The Tallahassee, FL native is now the leading home run hitter on the squad after also leading the Argos with eight in 2023.
Power hitting once again played a massive role in UWF's offensive production, with four total Argos going yard against the Blazers Wednesday. In addition to Brice's three,
Hannah Harper,
Erin Moon, and
Madelyn Vasquez all hit long balls beyond the outfield wall of Steel's Diamond. Coming in to the game, UWF had four total home runs and nearly tripled it in a day, now having 10 total.
UWF couldn't seem to find an answer on the mound for the first game, but
Hannah Harper (2-2) earned her second win of the year in game 2, holding VSU to four earned runs and assisting the Argo's fielders in leaving another four Blazers runners stranded. She pitched her second complete game of the season and leads the Argos with a 4.74 ERA.
Game 1 – UWF 5, VSU 13 in 6 innings
UWF started strong in game 1, taking an early 1-0 lead as
Emma Brice reached on a VSU error and Vasquez singled to bring her home. The lead would evaporate quickly as Valdosta State scored eight runs in two innings on four home runs.
Brice dug into the lead with a solo home run to center field to make it 8-2 in the third, but it was once again met with insurance runs from the Blazers in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. Brice's second home run came in the top of the fifth, and Vasquez hit her first home run of the season to left field, scoring
Erin Moon.
Valdosta State didn't relent and added their fifth and sixth home runs of the game against the Argos, scoring three more runs to trigger the run-rule in the bottom of the sixth. 13-5 was the final in game 1.
Game 2 – UWF 6, VSU 4
West Florida took an early lead in game 2 off an
Erin Moon 2-RBI home run shortly followed by a
Hannah Harper home run to center field. This time, UWF would hold the lead for the entire game as the Blazers chased.
A sac-fly RBI got the Blazers on the board in the second; however,
Emma Brice would take that run right off the board in the next frame as she hit her third and final home run of the day to right center making it 4-1 Argos. Valdosta State tallied their seventh home run of the day on a solo shot to bring it to 4-2.
In the fifth inning, the Argos took advantage of all-around hitting from their lineup and scored
Bella Holliday on a bases-loaded fielder's choice to make it 5-1. Holliday also added a sixth inning double, scoring
Cameron Wolfenden.
With the score 6-2 in the sixth, VSU scrapped their way back to being within two as multiple hits and walks created scoring opportunities. Harper and UWF's fielders were able to strand multiple runners in scoring position and cleared away the Blazers in the seventh to seal the 6-4 win.
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UWF heads to Columbus, GA this weekend for games against Tusculum, Columbus State, and Newberry. They will stop off in Americus, GA for a Saturday afternoon game against Georgia Southwestern to cap off the weekend.
Keep up on West Florida Softball by following @UWFSoftball on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
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