VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Lee softball team ended a tough-weekend in the Peach State as Valdosta State finished off a weekend sweep of the Lady Flames with pair of wins on Saturday, 8-4 and 3-1.
The Lady Flames (17-21, 7-14) will look to get back on track as they welcome Tusuclum to town on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader before entertaining No. 17 West Florida next weekend at Butler Field.
Valdosta State improves to 28-9 and 14-6 in league play.
Game 2 – LEE 1 VSU 3
The Blazers punctuated the three-game sweep of the Lee with a 3-1 victory in Saturday's nightcap.
Bailey Church got the Lady Flames on the board first with a RBI single in the top of the first to score Lily Hatcher.
The lead however would be short-lived as the Blazers answered right back with two runs in their first at-bat. Brandy Morgan doubled to right center to tie things up before a Lee throwing error lead to the second run.
Valdosta State would tack on an insurance run in the third to finish off the scoring as once again the Lady Flames defense cracked allowing a run to score on a dropped fly ball off the bat of Morgan.
For the second straight day senior Leigh Beatenbough (7-8) suffered a hard-luck loss. Beatenbough went all six innings and allowed just the three runs on three hits while striking out a pair. In her two starts in the series Beatenbough allowed just four runs in 12 innings and went 0-2.
After Kasie Johnson was pulled just four batters into the game Kameron Coggins (2-1) whirled the final 6.2 innings. She did not allow a run and gave up just six hits to go along with seven punchouts.
The Lady Flames registered eight hits in the contest but failed to deliver in the big knock as they left 11 runners on base.
Church, Abby McKinney and Kayla Gooch each had two hits for Lee. Gooch recorded the lone extra base hit of the game as she doubled in the sixth.
"Our team is struggling to play well in all aspects of our game together," said head coach Emily Russell. "We have the talent but are struggling to put it together consistently. We definitely need to find a spark."
Game 1 – Lee 4 VSU 8
The Blazers got the bats going early and never looked back in securing an 8-4 win over the Lady Flames in Saturday's opener.
Valdosta State opened up a 7-0 lead with single runs in the first and second before exploding for a five-run third.
Shonna Penney was hit with the loss (7-9) as she allowed six runs on eight hits over 2.1 innings in the circle. Erika Greek came on to work the final 3.2 innings and gave up two runs, one earned and allowed just one hit. She struck out three but struggled with command in surrendering five walks.
Stevie Baird went 2 for 4 with a double and drove in a pair of runs to pace the Lady Flames offense. Claudia Jones came off the bench to rope a double and a single.
Taylor Hartenbach led the nine-hit attack for the home team with two singles and two runs scored. Danielle Patterson went 2 for 2 and drove in two runs while Heather Robinson doubled and had two RBI.
Avery Lamb started for VSU and secured the victory to improve to 5-1 on the season. She gave up a pair of runs in 3.2 innings. Katheryn Carter tossed 2.2 frames and allowed two runs before Cameron Coggins shut the door and recorded the final two outs of the contest.
