Box Score / Event Stats

Lady Blazers Fly by Night Hawks

Thomas no match for Valdosta State

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Once Valdosta State president Dr. Patrick J. Schloss started the day off with the first pitch of the Lady Blazer season, it was up to the Valdosta State softball team to end the day on the right note. As they notched 25 hits on the day with eight home runs, the Lady Blazers made sure fans went home happy. Valdosta State finished off the Thomas Night Hawks 12-4 and 10-2 in Saturday's doubleheader.

Both games ended early thanks to the big bats of the Lady Blazers, Kristie Cornell in particular. Cornell opened up the flood gates for VSU in the bottom of the fourth inning when she hit in Amber Shaw, running for Alyssa Shirey, on the first home run of the day. Cornell knocked two more out of the park in the second game.

She wasn't the only Lady Blazer who came to hit. In the monster fourth inning Valdosta State had at the plate, Stephanie Carlson stepped up to hit a home run right after Cornell. April Hutchens used an error to go all the way to third base. As the Lady Blazers worked their way through the lineup in the fourth inning, Andi Braswell hit the third home run of the inning to make it 8-2. VSU scored two more unearned runs before the Night Hawks could finally get off the field.

With VSU leading 10-2 in the top of the fifth, Thomas scored two unearned runs. The Lady Blazers had enough. After Braswell was walked, Marti Littlefield doubled to center to drive Braswell home. Shirey doubled the next at bat to knock Littlefield in and put VSU up 12-4. Up by eight runs after five innings, the run rule was put into effect, and the game was called.

Thomas started the second game with great defensive plays in the field to limit the Lady Blazers to just three at-bats in the first inning. But in the second inning Cornell hit her second homer of the day. Hutchens knocked another one out of the field later in the inning.

In the fourth inning, Shirey hit the Lady Blazers' fifth home run of the day, and Cornell followed it up with her third to take a four run lead into the fifth inning.

After holding Thomas to just three at-bats in the fifth, the Lady Blazers put another run on the board. Cornell doubled to left to drive Braswell in.

The day started to look up for Thomas in the sixth inning. Amanda Graham led off with the Night Hawks' only home run of the day. Brittany Decker made her way around the bases later in the inning. Just when Thomas was able to get something going, Valdosta State stepped in to slam the door shut.

Valdosta State's Clare Wamsley doubled on a bunt to bring Huchens in and move Joy Perry, running for Amy Brightwell, to third. Melessa Jackson singled to load the bases. Braswell flied out to center, but Perry scored on the play. To finish the game, Littlefield hit a walk-off home run to push the tally to 10-2 and finish the game.

The Lady Blazers' next action comes at the Claflin Tournament on February 6.

Current News >>