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VALDOSTA, Ga. – A single run in the fifth inning proved to be enough as the Valdosta State Blazers edged the Lee softball team, 1-0 in a pitching classic on Friday evening to open their Gulf South Conference series on Friday evening.

Leigh Beatenbough (7-7) was the tough-luck loser for the Lady Flames. The senior spun six innings in the circle and allowed just four hits and one run while working around five walks.

The lone miscue for Beatenbough came in the fifth inning. Taylor Hartenbach got the Blazers going with a one-out double down the left-field line. With two outs it was Cassey Cornelius who played the role of hero with a RBI single up the box to score Hartenbach.

The Lady Flames had a shot to tie things up in their final at bat. After a quick two outs, Claudia Jones and Leigh Beatenbough delivered back to back singles to set up Taylor Moran, who leads the GSC in RBI. Moran put a good swing on the ball put lined out pitcher Katheryn Carter to end the threat and the contest.

The Lee offense was stifled by the pitching of starter Kasie Johnson and  Carter (11-3) who earned the victory after coming on in a bases loaded jam in the fifth and working 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. Johnson allowed just two hits, walked four and struck out two in 4.1 innings. Carter got the final two outs to leave the bases loaded in the fifth and retired the dangerous Moran to end the game in the seventh.

Zoe Miller and Kayla Louie each singled to join Jones and Frazier in accounting for the four hits for the Lady Flames.

The loss drops Lee to 17-19 and 7-12 in the GSC. The win improves the Blazers, who are receiving votes in the latest Top 25 poll, to 27-8 and 13-6 in league play.

The two teams will wrap up the Easter weekend series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.