The last time the Lady Argos saw a ranked opponent was the weekend they played against Auburn Montgomery, which did not go as planned and ended in a sweep. After a hard-fought 3-game at UWF, the Argos came out victorious over the #7 nationally ranked Valdosta State Blazers. The Blazers fell to 29-9 on the year and 21-5 in conference play while the Argos improved to 28-12 on the year and 19-7 in the Gulf South Conference. 

With a series in front of the Argos that had postseason implications, the stakes were set high. In last Saturday’s win, while being outhit 11-2, Kelsey Sweat proved reliable, pitching an 8-inning shutout against the Blazers in a great veteran performance. Saturday’s affair ended in a series tied 1-1. A very balanced set match each time, both games remained scoreless for much of the game.

On Sunday, a noticeable performance by opposing pitcher Samantha Richards was seen as she walked through West Florida’s lineup, going 4 1/3 frames before allowing a hit.

Regardless, the Blazers made too many mistakes and the Argos were able to capitalize on those mistakes, as any formidable opponent should. A run by Laurynn Boggs made it 2-1 after an error by Richards. A hit by Erin Moon allowed Halie Wetherington and Kayanna Perez to score and overall win that game in the 5th. 

In the last home game, the seniors went out in style. Buckets of ice water were dumped, and senior pitcher Sweat was mobbed in a circle by teammates. “It meant everything to me and it meant everything to the seniors,” Sweatt said. Fighting for a spot in the playoffs, the Argos really needed this win.

UWF softball improved its record to 28-12 overall. The team is third in the Gulf South Conference with a 19-7 record.