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Flagler College Athletics

The Official Athletics Site of the Flagler College Saints
Kyra Gipson delivers a pitch
Kristen Overton
Kyra Gipson tossed a two-hit shutout against No. 4 Valdosta State today.
0
Valdosta State VSU 10-3
2
Winner Flagler FLG 10-9
Valdosta State VSU
10-3
0
Final
2
Flagler FLG
10-9
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Valdosta State VSU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Flagler FLG 0 0 0 0 2 0 X 2 4 1

W: Gipson, Kyra (5-3) L: Caylie Van Auken (6-1)

3
Winner Valdosta State VSU 11-3
1
Flagler FLG 10-10
Winner
Valdosta State VSU
11-3
3
Final
1
Flagler FLG
10-10
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Valdosta State VSU 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 4 1
Flagler FLG 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0

W: Kasie Johnson (4-1) L: McCue, Katlyn (3-4) S: Giovanna Watts (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Saints split two games with No. 4 Blazers

ST. AUGUSTINE – Kyra Gipson (5-3) tossed a two-hit shutout as Flagler College knocked off No. 4 (NFCA Division II) Valdosta State University 2-0 in the first game of a non-conference softball doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Flagler Field. Valdosta State took game two, 3-1.

Flagler's overall record stays at .500 (10-10) while Valdosta State is now 11-3. The last time the Saints beat a team ranked that high was March 16, 2017 when Flagler defeated then-No. 3 North Georgia (2-1).

Gipson retired the last 10-of-11 batters she faced and she only allowed four base runners in seven innings. Gipson had a no-hitter going through 3 1/3 innings. She tied her season-high in strikeouts with six. Gipson retired 10 batters on fly outs and five more on ground outs.

Gipson out-dueled Caylie Van Auken (6-1) who was just as effective. Van Auken retired the first nine batters she faced, striking out five of them, and did not allow a hit until Garland Evans led off the fourth with a single. Van Auken scattered four hits and fanned six.

The Saints got to Van Auken in the fifth inning. Maria Kappos led off with a double to right field and moved to third on Natalie Murphy's singled to center, who took second on the throw into the infield. Morgan Murphy flied out to right, which was far enough to allow Kappos to tag up and score the game's first run and moved Murphy to third. Zoe Mooney dropped down a squeeze bunt to score Murphy to give the Saints a 2-0 lead.

In the second game, both teams scored a run in the first inning, but that would be it until the top of the fifth.

Taylor Strickland hit a solo home run over the left field wall to give the Blazers a 2-1 lead in the fifth.

Haley Garrett gave Valdosta State a little more insurance with a solo homer of her own in the seventh.

Kasie Johnson (4-1) scattered four hits and allowed one run in six-plus innings. She struck out six batters. Giovanna Watts closed the game to earn her first save of the year.
Logan Hill hit a solo home run in the first inning for the Blazers.

Katlyn McCue (3-4) tossed five innings and allowed two runs on two hits. She struck out four batters. Gipson pitched the final two innings.

Tatum Morgan went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Kappos singled twice and drove in a run.

Flagler hosts Davis & Elkins College in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday (March 2) at 1 p.m. at Flagler Field.

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