Game 1 Box/Game 2 Box

VALDOSTA, Ga. – The University of West Alabama softball team dropped a pair of Gulf South Conference Eastern Division games Saturday afternoon, falling 6-4 and 8-0 to No. 5 Valdosta State at the VSU Softball Complex.

In the opener, Emily White (9-15) started on the mound for West Alabama (24-31 overall, 3-17 GSC). She surrendered six runs (all earned) on six hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Brittany McGee worked 1 1/3 innings with a strikeout in relief.

Valdosta State (38-4, 17-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Telicia Ramsey led off the frame with a walk and then stole second. With two outs in the inning, Amy Gaiss singled to right, scoring Ramsey to give the Lady Blazers a 1-0 lead.

Valdosta State added to the lead by plating two runs on two hits in the fourth inning.

Gaiss began the inning with a walk. Kylie Zweifel pinch ran for Gaiss and stole second. Robin Williams singled to center, plating Zweifel. Shannon Cleland reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a Kristina Ely double down the left-field line, giving Valdosta State a 3-0 lead.

The Lady Blazers scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 6-0 advantage, but West Alabama tried to rally by plating four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth inning.

Sheila Jordan, who went 1-for-4, doubled to right to begin the sixth. With one out, Heather Shugart, who was 1-for-2, singled up the middle as Jordan scored from second. Emily White reached on a base hit to right, moving Shugart to third. Corey Curlee, who was 2-for-2, clobbered a three-run home run, cutting the Lady Blazers lead to 6-4. McGee and Krista Merrifield struck out to end the inning.

Kristen Lindsey took the win for Valdosta State, pitching 5 1/3 innings. She gave up four runs (all earned) on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Brianna Collis worked 1 2/3 innings in relief with a walk and a pair of strikeouts.

In the second contest, McGee (3-6) started on the mound for the Tigers, working 2 1/3 innings. She gave up six runs (four earned) on nine hits. Aubree Hudson pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief, surrendering two runs (all earned) on two hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts as the game was called in the fifth inning because of the mercy rule.

Valdosta State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning by plating four runs on five hits.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Audrey Massingill reached on an infield hit and advanced to second on a base hit by Alex Acosta. Gaiss singled to right to load the bases. Williams followed with an infield hit, plating Massingill and Acosta. Tiffany Burks ran for Gaiss and Courtney Akomolede ran for Williams. Cleland followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice as Akomolede was out at second. After a stolen base by Cleland, Ely tripled to right, plating Burks and Cleland to give the Lady Blazers a 4-0 lead.

Valdosta State added two runs in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fourth to grab an 8-0 advantage.

Collins pitched five innings for the Lady Blazers, surrendered just two hits – Shugart and Samantha White base hits.

West Alabama returns to action 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 22 in Pensacola, Fla., to take on West Florida. The game can be heard via the internet at: http://goargos.cstv.com/multimedia/wefl-multimedia.html and on live stats at: http://uwf.edu/livestats/softball/live/xlive.htm