Argos Swept by Blazers in Final Home Stand of 2012
West Florida Nearly Pulls Off the Upset Over No. 1 Valdosta State in Game Two
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Florida softball team nearly pulled off the upset over No. 1 Valdosta State in the home finale of 2012, but fell late to the Blazers in game two, 4-3, after dropping game one, 5-2.
The Argonauts, now 29-19 overall and 13-9 in the Gulf South Conference, have just six regular season games remaining, all on the road, before taking part in the GSC Tournament.
With the sweep of the Argos, the Blazers move to 41-2 on the year and remain perfect in the league standings at 24-0.
GAME ONE: West Florida 2, Valdosta State 5
The Argos managed just four hits in game number one as the Blazers racked up five runs on 10 hits to defeat UWF, 5-2.
VSU put two runs on the board in the top of the second, capitalizing on a pair of sacrifice bunts and a West Florida error to go up, 2-0. The Argos scratched across one in the bottom half of the inning on a Tiffany Duncan (Oneonta, Ala./Jefferson Davis HS) double that drove in Bianca Lopez (Suttgart, Germany/Patch American HS) to bring the Argos within one.
The Blazers then added three more in the top of the third to go up 5-1 with the Argos managing just one more run in the bottom of the seventh when Emma Johansen (Johnston City, Ill./Gulf Coast State College) drew the bases loaded walk to end it at 5-2.
Jordan Ratliff (Petersburg, Mich./Owens CC) picked up the loss, pitching all seven innings and giving up two earned runs on 10 hits.
GAME TWO: West Florida 3, Valdosta State 4
Game two was a much tighter affair with the Argos stranding the tying run on third in the bottom of the seventh to give the Blazers the one run win.
The Argos went up on the Blazers after one inning of play on a Sarah Scott RBI single to left field. VSU tacked on two in the top of the third but the Argos responded, tying it up in the home half of the inning on a Kaley Kania (Pensacola, Fla./Tate HS) RBI double to make it 2-2.
UWF again took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on another Scott RBI that scored teammate Ashliegh McLean (McKinney, Texas/McLennan CC). Valdosta then took the lead one inning later when they scored two runs on three hits to go up, 4-3.
With the tying run in Duncan on third, the Argos failed to bring the left fielder in as VSU picked up the 4-3 win.
Johansen was the only Argo with multiple hits in either game as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Argos will now hit the road for six straight, starting this Wednesday as the team heads to West Alabama for a crucial GSC doubleheader with the Tigers. For the latest on West Florida softball and information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.
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