VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Auburn University at Montgomery softball team split a doubleheader with Gulf South Conference foe #16 Valdosta State on Saturday, taking game one 5-4 in eight innings before dropping game two 7-2 on the campus of the Blazers.
 
NOTES
- AUM moves to 30-9 on the season with a 10-7 mark in the GSC.
- CSU improves to 23-10 overall and 8-8 in league games.
- The Warhawks are now 2-4 lifetime against VSU.
- AUM is also 4-5 this season against nationally-ranked opponents.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Freshman shortstop Olivia Aycock went 3-for-8 at the plate with three runs scored and a stolen base.
- Freshman Savanna Holmes got the start in game one, allowing one run on three hits over 6.0 innings. Holmes also notched her second home run of the season in game one.
- Senior Natalie Johnsey entered game two in relief and tied her career-high in strikeouts with six. Johnsey allowed one run on one hit over 5.2 innings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME ONE
- VSU took the early lead in game one, going up 1-0 on a Lacey Crandall single through the right side of the infield to plate Natalia Bellinger from third in the bottom of the second.
- AUM tied the game in the top of the fourth, scoring when Michaelyn Foster knocked a single to left to drive in Aycock from third.
- The Warhawks took the lead in the top of the fifth when Holmes helped her own cause by blasting a solo shot to centerfield to put the visitors up 2-1.
- Junior slugger Jaycie Walker tallied her 11th dinger of the season in the top of the sixth, hitting a two-run homer to center to put the Orange & Black up 4-1.
- VSU rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, scoring on a Bellinger single to left that plated one followed by a two run base knock by Logan Hill that tied the game at 4-4.
- After Aycock hit an infield single in the top of the eighth to reach base she advanced to second on a sac bunt by Morgan Duschell and then went to third on a wild pitch. Walker then reached base on an error which scored Aycock from third and gave the visitors a 5-4 advantage.
- Chanel Newcomer entered the contest in the bottom of the frame and tallied two strikeouts and a ground out to end the game.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – GAME ONE
- The Warhawks scored five runs on six hits while committing two errors.
- The Blazers scored four runs on eight hits with two errors.
- Foster picked up the win in relief, allowing three runs on five hits to improve to 12-3 on the season.
- Chanel Newcomer recorded her third save of the season, collecting a pair of strikeouts while retiring the side in the bottom of the eight.
- VSU's Avery Lamb fell to 1-1 on the season allowing one run on one hit over 2.2 innings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME TWO
- VSU would strike first blood once again in game two, loading the bases for Bellinger who was hit by a pitch to push across the games' first run. A walk by Jordenne Gaten would scratch off another run for the home team before Hill would hit a grand slam to right-centerfield to give the Blazers a 6-0 advantage.
- The Warhawks would get on the board in the top of the fourth when Caroline Burns doubled to left-center to drive in Parker Pinholster and cut the deficit to 6-1.
- The Blazers pushed a run across in the bottom of the fourth as Taylor Strickland stole home to push the VSU lead back to six runs.
- Foster doubled to right with Duschell at second base to cut the home team's advantage to 7-2 in the top of the sixth, but AUM could not scratch off any more runs the rest of the way to drop game two of the twin bill.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE – GAME TWO
- The Warhawks scored two runs on five hits with no errors.
- The Blazers tallied seven runs on four hits while committing one error.
- Jade Ingram got the start and fell to 4-1 on the season, allowing six runs on three hits in 0.1 innings.
- Caylie Van Auken improved to 8-3 this season, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits with 13 K's.
 
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