Wolves Softball Swept by Rival Valdosta State

The UWG Wolves softball team had one of their biggest tests of the season in a weekend series against their rival Valdosta State.

            The teams played a doubleheader on April 9 and concluded the series on April 10.

The fourth ranked Blazers would sweep UWG, winning 6-5 and 14-6 on Saturday then 12-1 on Sunday afternoon.

            Valdosta State jumped out to an early 2-0 in Game 1 after scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. They added another run in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead.

            UWG would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to center field by freshman catcher Emma Bailey. The Blazers would immediately respond with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning giving them a 6-1 lead.

            Center fielder Hannah Scarbrough would hit a home run to right field in the bottom half of the fifth to make it a 6-2 ballgame.

            UWG would begin to mount a comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Kristyn Nix scored a run in the bottom of the sixth after an error by Valdosta State allowed Alley Taylor to reach second base. It would then be sophomore R.J Janke blasting a two-run home run in left-center field bringing the game to 6-5.

            That would be the end of the rally in Game 1 as Valdosta State would take the first game of the afternoon, 6-5.

            Sophomore Macy Ann McKnight pitched all seven innings for UWG, allowing six hits, six earned runs with four strikeouts, and three walks.

            Game 2 was underway as Valdosta State got off to scoring the first run with a home run in the second inning. The Wolves would respond with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the second.

            Senior Maddie Gorsuch hit a two-run shot to left field, bringing in Jacie Arrington. Kristyn Nix would also hit a home run to center field to give the Wolves an early 3-1 lead.

            The lead did not last long for the Wolves as Valdosta State batted around and scored eight runs in the top of the third inning making it a 9-3 game.

            The Wolves answered in the bottom of the fourth inning after a three-run home run to center field by R.J Janke, her second homer of the series. The 9-6 deficit was the closest the Wolves could make it as the Blazers knocked in five more runs in the top of the fifth en route to a 14-6 victory.

            Kaley Dowdy made the start for UWG in Game 2. She pitched 2.2 innings, allowing four hits, seven earned runs, two strikeouts, and five walks.

            Emma Worley would come on in relief in the third inning. After two innings pitched, Worley gave up eight hits, seven earned runs and two walks.

            On a chilly Sunday afternoon, Game 3 of the weekend series was underway. The Wolves would take the early lead in the second inning after a solo home run by Jacie Arrington. That would be the only run scored by UWG on Sunday, surrendering three runs in the third, eight runs in the fourth, and one more run in the fifth to give the Blazers a 12-1 victory and a weekend sweep of their rivals.

            The Wolves fall to 11-24 (4-16 Gulf South Conference) on the season and are currently on a nine game losing streak.

            They face a road trip on April 12 with a doubleheader at Georgia Southwestern and April 15-16 at Alabama Huntsville before returning for a five game home stand on April 20, 23 and 24 versus Columbus State and Mississippi College.