VALDOSTA, Ga. | The 12th-ranked University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team fell in its doubleheader at Valdosta State on Saturday, dropping a 5-4 decision in the opener before being tripped up 7-5 in the day's second game. UAH slips to 33-11 (17-9 Gulf South Conference) on the season, while VSU improves to 32-9-2 (16-8-1 GSC).
 
The two teams will wrap up the series on Sunday with a single game slated for a 12 p.m. CDT start.
 
Valdosta State 5, UAH 4
 
A three-run sixth inning lifted the Lady Blazers to the come-from-behind win with the eventual game-winning run scoring on a wild pitch in an inning in which the Chargers committed a pair of errors leading to each of the three runs being unearned.
 
It was the Chargers who started off strong with Lexi Beach driving in a run in the first to give UAH a 1-0 lead, and a three-run second that was keyed by an RBI single off the bat of Brianna Sullivan and a two-run base hit from Kaitlyn Bannister gave the visiting team a 4-0 lead.
 
Bannister now has 57 RBI on the season.
 
Valdosta State chipped away, however, scoring a run in the second and the third to pull within two before the big sixth.
 
Tyler Harrison picked up the loss in the circle for UAH, scattering six hits and striking out five, and just two of the five runs she allowed were earned.
 
The Lady Blazers outhit UAH 6-5.
 
Valdosta State 7, UAH 5
 
Three home runs for Valdosta State helped the Lady Blazers win the nightcap, but after going down 7-1, the Chargers did claw their way back into the contest in the late innings.
 
In the fifth inning, Savannah Smith registered her 11th double of the season to make it 7-2 before Beach picked up her second RBI of the game – she drove in UAH's first run of the game earlier in the third – by driving in Smith.
 
A Taylor Wascavage sacrifice fly made it a three-run inning for the guests and pulled the Chargers to within four at 7-3.
 
Wascavage added the final run of the game when she knocked in Beach in the seventh with none out and the bases loaded, but Valdosta State brought in Caitlyn Calhoun who retired the next three batters to seal the contest for VSU.
 
In the contest, Valdosta State outhit the Chargers by an 11-10 margin, and Beach paced UAH's offensive effort with a 3-for-4 showing at the dish.