OXFORD, Ala. – The No. 4-ranked and top-seeded Auburn University at Montgomery Warhawks defeated No. 8-ranked and the second-seeded Valdosta State Lady Blazers 5-2 in the Gulf South Conference semifinals to advance to the championship game.

In the Warhawks' first postseason appearance, AUM has defeated the eighth, fifth, and second seed on their way to the conference final. AUM defeats Valdosta State in their only meeting of the year after not playing them in the regular season.

Bailie Barnes proved to be one of the best pitchers in the GSC with a stellar performance against Valdosta State. Barnes tossed all seven innings, allowing just five hits while striking out three batters to win her 14^th game of the season.

Allie Miller netted her third-straight multi-hit game in the semifinal contest. Molly Cobb and Jaycie Walker also tallied multi-hit efforts.

The Warhawks had a chance early to put up a crooked number in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with one out. Two lineouts with the bases juiced got Morgan Hill out of the early jam and kept the game scoreless.

After AUM was unable to cash in during the bottom of the second inning, GSC Player of The Year Nicole Pennington launched a home run over the left-field wall and into the bus parking lot to give the Lady Blazers a 1-0 lead.

AUM was able to break through in the bottom of the fourth against Valdosta State after Gia Martin singled and Abby Krueger doubled to put runners on second and third with nobody out.

After Krueger scored on a wild pitch, Morgan Duschell scratched across the first run of the game for AUM, laying down a squeeze bunt to tie the game at one. Olivia Aycock drove in AUM's third run after an RBI groundout that was hit back to the pitcher, allowing Duschell to score from third.

Cobb's RBI groundout gave AUM a 4-1 lead, and allowed Barnes to settle in against a dynamic VSU offense. The Lady Blazers added a run on a ball that landed between three Warhawks in the top of the fifth to give them a 5-2 lead, but Duschell's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth gave AUM the 5-2 lead they would eventually win with.

The Warhawks will either play the fifth-seeded West Georgia Wolves or the six seed, Mississippi College, in the championship game.

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