Tampa Splits Doubleheader with Valdosta State

TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 3 University of Tampa softball team splits a pair against Valdosta State.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Game One Final: Valdosta State 8, #3 Tampa 7

Game Two Final: #3 Tampa 11, Valdosta State 8

Records:  Tampa 16-1 (6-0 SSC), Chestnut Hill 17-4 (7-2 GCS)

Location: Steel's Diamond at Blazers Park | Valdosta, Ga.

All-time Series: The Spartan's record overall against the Blazers is 14-35.

HOW IT HAPPENED — GAME ONE:

• After the Blazers got two runs across the board in the first inning, Mariah Galhouse responded after giving up the runs in the circle by helping her cause, hitting a home run to right center to cut Valdosta State's lead to two. Top 2 | 3-1 Valdosta State
• Valdosta State would score in the bottom half of the inning; however, Tampa wouldn't go away. Camryn Wineinger would also hit a home run to left field to cut the Blazer's lead back to two. Top 4 | 4-2 Valdosta State
• Valdosta would go back up by three in the bottom half of the inning again, but Tampa would continue their home run parade with long balls from Alexa Russo and Wineinger's second one of the day. Top 5 | 5-4 Valdosta State
• Once again, the Blazers would go up three, but with one out, two girls on base, and two outs from losing for the first time all season Lauren Fantone had other plans smashing a three-run home run to center field to tie the game. Top 7 | 7-7 Tied
• However, Valdosta State would win it in the bottom of the inning in walk-off fashion.

INSIDE THE STATS — GAME ONE:

• Sophomore Mariah Galhouse received her first loss in the circle this season. She is now 6-1. She pitched all 6.2 innings, striking out 11 while allowing 7 runs, 12 hits, and 2 walks.
• Wineinger: 2-3 (2 HR), 2 R, 2 RBI
• Galhouse: 2-3 (1 HR), 1 R, & 1 RBI
• Fantone: 1-4 (1 HR), 3 RBI
• Avery Perkins: 2-3, 1 R

HOW IT HAPPENED — GAME TWO:

• Fantone would lead off the game with a solo shot to center field for the first Spartans lead. Bot 1 | 1-0 Tampa
• After the Blazers scored four in the bottom half of the second, the Spartans would cut their lead to one with RBIs from Wineinger and Stephanie Balmer. Top 3 | 4-3 Valdosta State
• After the Blazers put a run across the board in the fourth to extend their lead to two, the Spartans started a scoring frenzy with four runs in the fifth from a Galhouse two-run double and a Lexie Chevalier two-run shot to center field. Then three more runs came across the board in the sixth, and Wineinger continued her stellar performance with a two-run double and a Galhouse RBI single for Tampa to extend their lead to five. Top 6 | 10-5 Tampa
• The Spartans would receive a massive insurance run in the seventh with an Alexa Russo RBI single. Top 7 | 11-8 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS — GAME TWO:

• All-American Mary Beth Feldman started in the circle and improved her record to 6-0 on the season. She went 5.1 innings, striking out 6 while allowing 12 hits, 8 runs, and 1 walk.
• Freshmen Gwen McGinnis received her second save on the season. She went 1.2 innings, striking out 2 while allowing 0 hits and 0 walks.
• Wineinger: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
• Galhouse: 2-5, 1 R, & 3 RBI
• Chevalier: 2-4 (1 HR), 2 R, 2 RBI
• Fantone: 2-3 (1 HR), 4 R, 1 RBI
• Kiester: 2-3, 1 R, BB

UP NEXT: Tampa will host Bloomsburg on Monday for a doubleheader starting at 5:00 PM.

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