Volume 88 Issue 10
April 2, 2015
This Day In History
Valdosta ‘GRITS’ take over Wednesday night New VH1 reality show puts Valdosta on the reality television map
Teflon Don goes down On this day in 1992, notorious mobster John Gotti was found guilty on 13 counts of murder. Gotti was sentenced to a lifetime in prison, but died of throat cancer in 2002. Source: History.com
Weather Today Mostly Cloudy
Friday Partly Cloudy
Saturday
Photo courtesy of vh1.com
Lia Armistead
STAFF WRITER jparmistead@valdosta.edu VH1’S “Hot GRITS,” Girls Raised in the South, premiered last Wednesday, showing the world Valdosta’s southern hospitality and what (some) people here are all about. The show follows a group of born-and-raised South Georgia girls – Emily, Bear, Rachet, Sarah, Hailey, Jenna and Jennifer – as they go
Source: Weather.com
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“This show makes me feel ashamed to say I live in Valdosta,” user Gingersaur said. “They must have hunted down the most ignorant women in South GA for this show.” “Hot GRITS” was filmed in many different places in Valdosta, according to Jay Hamelet, a production assistant and senior education major at VSU. These places included Lucky’s Bar, an area around Moody Air Force Base, The
Bistro, Friends Bar and Grill, and Austin’s; however, most scenes were shot at the girls’ houses. “America has their view of the South,” Hamlet said. “This may justify their view or this may change their view.” The producers chose Valdosta as the base for “Hot GRITS” because its location is the southernmost point in Georgia, but mostly because of the bond between the girls. “We have a bond that is
indescribable,” Partain said. “Filming with (the girls) every single day was by far the best part.” The network filmed the friends for two and a half months during the summer of 2014. “The only time we were not filming was when we were sleeping,” Partain said. “We worked our asses off for a great show and got little sleep doing it.” “Hot GRITS” airs every Wednesday at 8 p.m. on VH1.
Like a good neighbor VSU is here Chief of staff resigns after incident
VSU is now offering in-state tuition to bordering states in an attempt to increase enrollment.
Cole Edwards
Showers
about their business in Valdosta. “The South is more than the ‘typical redneck’ stereotype,” Chelsey Partain, aka “Rachet,” said. “You have your southern belles, your rowdy country girls, but more than anything the ‘South’ has class and charm.” Comments on VH1’s website under the first episode reveal that while some think the show is great entertainment, others feel the show damages Valdosta’s image.
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR csedwards@valdosta.edu A member of VSU’s administration resigned March 23, three days after an encounter with campus police. Dr. Kimberly Luse, former VSU Chief of Staff, had a run-in with police around 11:45 p.m. on March 20 following the President’s Scholarship Gala at VSU, according to police. VSU Police said officers noticed that Dr. Luse appeared to be under the influence of alcohol while walking in front of Palms Dining Hall. President William McKinney sent out an email March
23 confirming Dr. Luse’s resignation and stating all communications and media relations activities would now report to Andy Clark, vice president of enrollment, marketing and communications. “I am not at liberty to speak about her reasons behind resigning,” Clark said in an article published by WCTV. “I just know that she resigned (Monday) afternoon, and that basically she tendered that resignation to the President, and beyond that I cannot discuss any personnel matters,” Luse was not charged in the incident. Dr. McKinney appointed her to the chief of staff position in July 2014. Mike LaGon/THESPECTATOR
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In an attempt to counteract decreasing student enrollment, VSU is now offering in-state tuition to three border states. On March 30, the Board of Regents agreed to allow VSU to offer in-state tuition fees for Florida, Alabama and South Carolina residents. This policy will go into effect at the beginning of the 20152016 academic year. “(The goal is to) increase our efforts on retaining students,” said Andy Clark, VSU vice president of enrollment, marketing and communica-
Inside This Issue - OPINIONS: VSU should provide answers to questions - FEATURES: Q&A with “Hot GRITS” on the side - SPORTS: Albritton embraces new rule after three weeks on the sideline
tion. Since the number of students who attend VSU has declined, VSU has sought innovative ways to combat its decrease in population. Enrollment dropped by about 1400 students from Fall 2013 to Fall 2014, Clark said. Currently, VSU has 11,541 students; 9,303 are undergrad and 2,238 are graduate students, according to VSU’s website. “Most of the market share for which we lost is in the Atlanta area,” Clark said. “If you look at the schools in Atlanta and how they have changed over the last five to 10 years, you’d see the competition in that market is
totally changed.” For example, Georgia Gwinnett College was nonexistent ten years ago; now they have 11,200 students. “What you’re seeing is a trend for students and parents to make a decision to stay home and commute to a university,” Clarke said. “So what we really try to sell in our pitch is the advantages of the total college experience.” This new tuition policy gives VSU the opportunity to recruit from populated cities in surrounding states. Also, limited out-of-state tuition waivers remain for American residents and international students.
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Check out Kenzie Kesslering’s ‘Professors as Facebook Friends’ article on the web!
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Upcoming Events Online Health Care Fair The Office of Career Opportunities is hosting its second annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Health Care Online Career Fair April 1-7. This event is an opportunity for students and alumni pursuing or holding bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees in applied mathematics, astronomy, athletic training, biology, chemistry, clinicalcounseling psychology, communication disorders, computer information systems, computer science, dental hygiene, environmental geosciences, exercise physiology, health care administration, marriage and family therapy, mathematics, nursing, physics, psychology, social work and sociology to upload a resume and share their skills, interests and talents with potential area employers or recruiters. Call (229) 333-5942 or visit www.valdosta.edu/career for more information.
Science Seminar Series March 19 4-5 p.m. Powell Hall Auditorium Dr. Ken Sulak from the U.S. Geological Survey will share his research on “Dramatic impacts upon deep-reef fish abundance and community structure following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.” This event is free and open to the public.
APRIL 2, 2015
SGA talks enrollment problem, solutions Kristin Whitman
Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu SGA learned at its March 30 meeting that VSU’s fresh man enrollment will likely drop for the third year in a row, a trend that is wreaking havoc on VSU Housing. Dr. Tom Hardy, director of housing and residence life, told SGA that VSU is pre dicted to be down in freshman enrollment for the third year, making it hard to fill the resi dence halls such as Langdale, which was only half-full this entire year. “We had floor upon floor that were just empty because there was just no way to fill them,” Dr. Hardy said. “The freshman numbers were so low.” Freshman enrollment has been dropping since Fall 2010, with a 14 percent decrease from 2012 (3,121) to 2013 (2,693). The management over at housing, admissions and en
rollment came up with an idea to house students from the South Georgia State College Entry Program. “Those are the students that don’t quite meet the criteria to get into VSU,” Hardy said. Once those students go through the SGSCEP and get
enough credits, they are auto matically transferred to VSU. The plan is to put those SGSCEP students in Langdale Hall to fill it. “We are also putting those students into Langdale Hall because the Student Suc cess Center is there, and like before, those students need a little extra help,” Dr. Hardy said.
Happy ‘Tator Day!
According to Dr. Hardy, this housing situation is only highly recommended this year and not required because it is so late in the recruitment year. However, it will be mandatory next year. At the SGA meeting, members voiced their fear of having too many students on campus because of this pro gram and nowhere to house them. “The reason we are doing this is because we are known as an under-capacity institu tion right now, meaning that our housing and classrooms are not full,” Dr. Hardy said. “Once we get to capacity or over capacity, that program will cease to exist.” Along with these hous ing initiatives, Dr. Hardy announced other changes coming to VSU residence halls, including new visita tion hours, quiet hours being strictly enforced, every fresh man dorm having a kitchen, and Brown Hall becoming a Greek residence.
The sudoku grid consists of eighty-one squares in a nine by nine grid. To solve the sudoku, each square in the grid must contain a number between one and nine, with the following conditions: Each row of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each column of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each of the nine 3 by 3 boxes of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 ANSWER ON PAGE 5
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Police Briefs March 30 A student reported a black bag containing his PlayStation was stolen on March 20 from Georgia Hall.
March 26 Someone drew graffiti with spray paint at the Centennial Hall entrance facing the Recreation Center.
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March 24 A student reported seeing a male walking away from her open car door in the University Center Lot. Nicholas R. Ramsey, 23, was arrested and charged with entering auto, obstruction of officers, and giving false name to officers. He was also charged with an outstanding warrant out of Valdosta.
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A caller reported a robbery at the Recreation Center. On March 31, Kelvin Jermaine Wright, 19, was arrested and charged for robbery by sudden snatching.
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APRIL 2, 2015
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 3
Baby changing tables needed in all restrooms
Our point of view...
Kailee Kivett
Staff Writer klkivett@valdosta.edu
Alison Stephen
VSU should provide answers to questions The faculty senate is contemplating a no-confidence vote on our president. The chief of staff recently resigned after allegedly demonstrating drunken behavior on campus. Long-time VSU employees are being replaced at an alarming rate out of nowhere. It basically seems as though our administration is in a state of confusion. Yet we’ve gotten little explanation as to why these things are happening. The faculty at VSU say they are frustrated because they feel like they’re closed off from the administration. Can they imagine how we as students must feel? Even at the national level there is too much secrecy, as the Hillary Clinton scandal demonstrates. What was she saying in her personal email that she didn’t want to be monitored in her official email account? What is going on in VSU’s administration that they feel the need to hide from us? What is it that they are afraid of coming to light?
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time there’s been a cry for more transparency from VSU’s administration. The editors at The Spectator believe that if President McKinney claims that open forum is the “spirit of transparency and collaboration that has been the hallmark of my administrative career, for it is the essence of who we are as academics,” then he needs to stick to his word and give us explanations. With all this controversy occurring at VSU, as students, it is hard to feel confident in the leadership. As of now, it seems as though McKinney’s words regarding transparency are just for show. But this isn’t a show nor a game — this affects students’ lives. We are all here to better ourselves, and we need to feel confident that the administration over us has our best interest at heart. In order to do that, we must first have trust in the administration. Someone in a position of power should answer all the questions that are on the minds of students.
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
No-confidence vote is only option for Faculty Senate A vote of no confidence is currently under review in the faculty senate, meaning the group will vote on its trust in VSU’s leadership. Kenzie Kesselring
Asst. Opinions Editor klkesselring@valdosta.edu After a year of complaints coming from the faculty senate at Valdosta State, the group has a tough decision to make in the coming month. The faculty senate has to decide if they want to come together and pass a vote of no confidence on President McKinney and the rest of the administration at VSU, or if they want to keep struggling to work out the reccurring issues they have with the administration. A vote of no confidence is when a group comes together
to make a statement saying they no longer feel as if their superiors are doing their job correctly and efficiently. Even though there are usually no immediate consequences of a vote of no confidence, it tells the alumni and other financial supporters of VSU that they believe the university is at risk due to the administration’s actions. This would be the first step of changing the leaders at VSU, meaning there would be adjustments in the future for the university as a whole. After sitting in on the faculty senate meetings and hearing the issues the members have with the administration, it sounds as if their best option would be to proceed with the vote. However, this would be a serious statement to make, so it is something that should be approached with caution. Judging by the amount of issues the faculty senate has with the administration and the magnitude of these issues,
it seems like a vote of no confidence is the only option the faculty senate has to get its
However, this would be a serious statement to make, so it is something that should be approached with caution. voice heard by the university and its supporters. If the group conducts this vote, the faculty senate will have its voice heard and make a difference in the university, or the opinions will be downplayed. Either way, our faculty will have stood up for what they believe is right, and that is a great example to set for the students they truly care about.
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When women need to change their child’s diaper while in public, they immediately head to the nearest bathroom, which is usually equipped with at least one diaper changing station. However, men do not always have the same luxury. Men’s bathrooms typically lack a changing table. Some men have to use the countertop or even sit the baby on their laps, which is not a safe alternative. Dads who want to be more involved with their children are struggling when it comes to changing diapers. Recently, more and more fathers have spoken out about their need for changing stations in men’s bathrooms. Even Ashton Kutcher posted a complaint about the problem via Facebook back in early March. A few states have considered passing laws that require places such as fast food restaurants, supermarkets and
Pixabay
Many fathers are speaking out and encouraging companies to install baby changing tables in men’s restrooms.
movie theaters to provide more changing stations, either directly in the men’s bathroom or in a place accessible to both genders. Although these laws never passed, many people are still striving to make a change, especially single dads. The number of single parent households in the year 2008 was 10.5 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those 10.5 million households, single father households accounted for about 2.5 million. In 2012, Pew Social Trends stated that the number of stay-at-home dads was
almost 2 million. These numbers are much larger than they were fifty years ago, and the demand for gender equality is growing just as quickly. The necessity for these changing stations is only going to increase over time. Not only is the lack of changing stations not fair to men, but it also increases the risk of disease or injury when the father has to find other ways to change his child’s diaper. Changing tables should be available to both men and women, whether they are in their respective bathrooms or in a neutral place.
Facebook takes simple step to prevent negativity
The social medium takes away the ‘feeling fat’ option Jordan Hill
Opinions Editor jorhill@valdosta.edu Are you feeling fat after eating that third slice of pizza? Don’t tap your Facebook app to complain about it. An activist group, Endangered Bodies, petitioned for Facebook to delete the option of adding “feeling fat” to your status and complained that it made fun of people who may feel overweight. Sixteen thousand people signed the petition and Facebook listened. “We’ve heard from our community that listing ‘feeling fat’ as an option for status updates could reinforce negative body image, particularly for people struggling with eating disorders,” a Facebook spokesperson said. “So we’re going to remove ‘feeling fat’ from the list of options. We’ll continue to listen to feedback as we think about ways to help people express themselves on Facebook.” The initiator of the petition, Catherine Weingarten, says “feeling fat isn’t a feeling.” How often have you sat at
your mom or grandma’s table and inhaled a ham, deviled eggs, sweet potato casserole, green beans and a biscuit, and stretched out on the couch saying, “Man, I feel fat.” You may not technically be overweight, but after eating so much food, you feel as if you are. That’s feeling fat, and contrary to Catherine’s opinion, it is a feeling. While many Facebookers may use the emotion as a joke or to express the feeling of a satisfied stomach, Endangered Bodies has encouraged Facebook to reinforce positive feelings about its users’ bodies. Catherine suffered from an eating disorder, and if
The Washington Times
the feeling fat emotion offends her or anyone who has suffered with body image problems, it is inspiring that she made an impact toward counteracting the negative image that people in this world often see in themselves. It is refreshing to see a billion-dollar corporation make a change for fear of its users feeling negative about themselves. Social mediums are often outlets for children and adults to voice their lack of self-confidence or criticize other users’ bodies. Facebook is making that a little more difficult with the simple step of deleting an emotion and emoji.
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PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
Guns on campus Tierra Francois
STAFF WRITER tsfrancois@valdosta.edu We should all feel the need to protect ourselves, especially since people have become so unpredictable with their actions. Places such as work, school, restaurants and shopping malls are not safe anymore. It is necessary for us to be able to carry a gun at theses places, but we should be able to do so without being judged. According to the CDC and Donna Edwards, a representative of the Sandy Hook shooting, there have been 181 school shootings since the Sandy Hook shooting. What if there was a school shooting, but there was not enough campus police in the area or the police did not come fast enough? Having your own gun could not only save your life, but also the lives of others. It is possible that if the teachers involved in these school shootings had guns, they could have
prevented the many fatalities that occurred. It is clear to see that because of the shootings, it is harder to have a gun, but this is somewhat of a good thing. This means that anyone with a criminal background or certain mental disorders cannot have a gun. For some people, walking around campus with a gun would not only make them feel safer, but it would also make them feel as though they are in control and can defend themselves. Guns were created for self-defense and should not be given to minors or irresponsible people. Many places would be a lot more secure if they had people with knowledge of gun usage.
Kenzie Kesselring
ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR klkesselring@valdosta.edu Allowing guns on college campuses is a horrible idea. A college campus is a place where debates ensue, the stress level is high and people’s differences are highlighted daily. This is the case for every college campus across the country and it makes for a dangerous place to allow guns. Have you ever been in a classroom where a debate got so heated you could feel the tension in the air? Have you ever been so stressed out that all it would take is one person saying the wrong thing to you to make you snap? Have you ever met someone who makes extremely insensitive comments about people of a different race or sexual orientation from themselves? Now, imagine those situations where your fellow students were legally permitted to carry guns.
When debates get heated or students reach a certain level of stress, it is no secret that people can transform into unkind versions of themselves. This makes allowing guns on campus extremely dangerous to students and faculty. Not only is it dangerous to college students’ well-being, but it also threatens the institution of collegiate learning altogether. When students begin to fear for their safety, they will no longer be comfortable debating or being themselves. Some might even be distracted knowing that at any moment someone in their classroom could be legally carrying a gun. Thankfully, guns are currently not allowed on college campuses in Georgia, and hopefully they never will be.
MCT Campus
Will allowing students to carry guns reduce the number of robberies ?
Nicholas Buford Political Science Senior “I understand that some people may want to carry weapons, but there are those who will use them responsibly and those who will use them irresponsibly, and there is actually a chance that that could probably lead to more problems on campus, so I don’t think that’s the right step to take at this time.”
Scarlett Ashe Mass Media Freshman “I think it will because when people are armed, it doesn’t mean they are going out to create violence; it means that they can prevent it.”
APRIL 2, 2015
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
Q & A: With ‘Hot GRITS’ on the side
I have been in Val for 5 years. now.
Lia Armistead
STAFF WRITER jparmistead@valdosta.edu
If I’m not working, you can find me at any watering hole, hunting land, shooting range or anywhere me and girls wanna raise some hell!
Where is your favorite place to hang out in How long have you Valdosta? lived in Valdosta? What do you normally do in Valdosta for fun? What’s the most exciting part about being on tv? What do you expect the audience will think of the Chelsea Partain from the VH1 show “Hot GRITS.” show? Photo courtesy of Chlealea Partain
Comedian uses ASL to get laughs Jyrell Wynn
STAFF WRITER jdwynn@valdosta.edu As he continues his cross-country tour around America raising awareness for American Sign Language with a unique delivery, a new comedian is creating a buzz without using a word. On April 3, comedian Wink will present his comedy act from 7-9 p.m. in the Student Union Theater. Windell Smith Jr. (aka Wink) travels across the United States to sponsor ASL and deaf rights through his comedy shows. Wink describes his experience of living in a deaf household and how his parents raised him to
appreciate ASL and deaf culture. He shares his memories of humor and unpredictable situations with his mother and father. Audiences will experience happiness to sadness as they connect with the struggles of Wink as he matures into adulthood. The show offers an inside view of the deaf community, and depicts how children with normal hearing interact in deaf families. Smith’s brand of humor is honest and relatable and the added effect of ASL gives his performances a truly unique feel. The show will be presented in ASL, but there will interpreters for
My favorite place to hang out would def be Lucky’s Pub!
those attendees who cannot understand ASL. The event begins at 7 p.m., but the doors will open at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door. General admission for the show is $10, but VSU students get in free. If you want to reserve your spot, you can email kmspell@ valdosta.edu now.
Courtesy of ASL Club of VSU
The most exciting part about being on tv would def have to be the chance to make a difference. Most people spend their whole entire lives working hard for what I have! For that I am eternally grateful to be given this opportunity. I think the viewers will love the show! Reality shows are pure entertainment! We are good -hearted girls that are funny as hell! What’s not to like?
‘TIDAL’ waves for streaming music enTIDALed celebs coming to collect your coins Hollywood A-listers have come out in support of Jay Z’s new business venture “TIDAL” — a supposed new and innovative streaming service that is slated to offer consumers “better quality sound.” The whole thing comes off as some ploy to get more money. Which you can’t even hate them for. However, after the release of an embarrassing promo video where stars were acting like they’re saving the rain forest or curing cancer, fans and media have been dragging the service and everyone involved. Then the ridiculous press conference happened. Seriously, even if I did shell out the cash for “Tidal,” I doubt I’d even notice the difference in quality with
‘Bloodborne’ gameplay scores high with critics Alex Corbitt
D
STAFF WRITER acorbitt@valdosta.edu
eveloper FromSoft doesn’t disappoint with its new game, “Bloodborne.” The hype surrounding the game’s upcoming release stems from the Dark Soul community’s fascination with the game’s grim fantasy world. In this world, anything and everything wants to kill you, creating a challenging, dark and complex gaming experience. Shrouded in mystery, the story of Bloodborne is theorized to be a sequel to the events in Demon Souls, indicated by the game’s lack of magic. No shields or sorcery are available for your character, which is a big change in gameplay mechanics. The way you fight in this game is nothing like in any Souls game so far; the previous games consist of waiting for your opponent to make an attack and then following up. Bloodborne encourages the opposite, and rewards you for quick, decisive attacks. It also
Courtesy of From Software
features limited health regeneration after being struck by an opponent by attacking them to get your health back. Bloodborne does follow a lot of core mechanics from its previous games, so for players who are used to Demon Souls and Dark Souls, this should feel great. Like in the previous games, when you die you lose your experience, which also acts as your currency. However, Bloodborne adds a twist to this by making it so the creature that killed you is now stronger and harder to kill. Learning from your mistakes in this game is crucial, and this game is marketed toward adventurous people who love a challenge. Bloodborne gets a 9/10 for overall style, gameplay and presentation.
my cheap Wally World headphones. As long as it doesn’t sound like it was recorded with a potato, I don’t care. I think I’ll just stick with Spotify.
Former One Direction member Zayn Malik needs a new PR rep…like now The breakup saga involving boy band One Direction rolls on as Malik continues to make questionable business decisions. After being separated for less than two weeks, Malik has already been spotted heading into the
studio with close friend and music producer, Naughty Boy, fueling rumors of a possible solo project, which he denies. Fans have compared the producer to Yoko Ono, claiming that he “brainwashed” Malik, turning him against his former band mates and trolling 1D fans on Twitter. In another hilariously bad PR move, after angry fans attacked his Twitter, Yoko Boy took it upon himself to go out and leak an alleged demo of Malik. This, of course, caused even more hysteria. Funny stuff. Now, 1D member Louis Tomlinson has jumped into the fray, calling him out for his tweets and his handling of the situation.
Sudoku Answer
PAGE 6 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
Albritton embraces new role after three weeks on the sidelines Lia Armistead
Assistant sports editor jparmistead@valdosta.edu
Number 17 right-handed pitcher Caitlyn Calhoun threw her fourth no-hittter for the 2015 season on March 31. The softball team is now on a 24-game winning streak. Kristin Whitman/THESPECTATOR
Streak hits two dozen Softball keeps the season going with a 24-game winning streak Niamani Carlyle-Hollis Sports writer ntcarlylehollis@valdosta.edu
Union University was no match for VSU this weekend. The Lady Blazers extended their winning streak to 24 straight. During the first game, Jennifer Phillips, Kiley Rusen and Caitlyn Calhoun were forces to be reckoned with. Calhoun recorded a new career high with 14 strikeouts in game one and dealt her fourth career no-hitter en route to another shutout, which made it her 12th of the season. The total game effort dropped the junior’s season ERA to a sparkling 0.88 and marked the second no-hitter of the week for the VSU pitching staff. Though the Blazers were held hitless up until the third inning, Halie Imler was able to connect with a hit through the left side. Later in the inning, Rusen came through with a two-out RBI single down the middle into center field. With Brandy Morgan on base after Union’s mishap, Phillips came through big to give VSU a 2-0 lead with a line drive RBI down third base. Late in the fifth inning, Rusen was able to secure another RBI with a line drive that traveled into the outfield, bringing Jaime Phillips home. Huntyre Elling went 4.2 innings with five strikeouts
to lift her record to a perfect 10-0 during the second game, and allowed only four hits and one run in the contest. During game two, Jennifer Phillips led the way, scoring with a long hit in the third inning and two runners on base putting the Lady Blazers up 3-0. Union tried to make a little noise by cutting the deficit to 3-1 when Summer Cross hit an RBI down center in the fifth. VSU did not back down, and in the bottom of the inning, Phillips and Morgan both hit homers. With Phillips’ hit, she recorded her sixth homer of the season. Maci Fletcher then came on in the fifth to finish pitching for the Lady Blazers. To close the game out in the sixth, Morgan hit an RBI single, followed by a hard hit from Phillips to give her two more RBI’s on the night. Chelsea Canara brought Jennifer Phillips home after hitting a big double into right center field to close the game out 9-1. Calhoun’s no-hitter represented her third of the 2015 season, which placed the Hamilton, Ohio, native in a GSC tie for the most no-hitters in one season — a feat that has only been accomplished by both Lane Davis of Alabama-Huntsville in 2000 and Sandy Morgan of West Florida in 1999.
Calhoun also moved into a tie for third place in the league record books with four career no-hitters. On Sunday, pitchers Kelley Robey of Union and Calhoun both pitched five scoreless innings that led to a showdown during the sixth. Union’s Robey seemed to be headed for a shutout after striking out 14 batters straight, but Rusen stepped up to bat and connected with the first hit of the game, sending a homer over the center field wall to give VSU the lead 1-0. That was all the Lady Blazers needed to break the drought. Late in the sixth with Brittany Smith on second, Canara hit a line drive right in front of UU’s right fielder Annette Castaldo that sent Smith home to put the Lady Blazers up 2-0. Calhoun continued to pitch fire and improve her record to 20-1 with 13 shutouts. After reaching doubledigit strikeout numbers for the second day, Calhoun dropped her ERA to 0.83, placing her in the top 10 pitchers bracket in the nation. The win improved the Blazers to 34-2 overall and 19-1 in GSC. The Lady Blazers extended their current winning streak to 24 games, the program’s longest streak since the 2012 team won 36 straight on their way to a national title.
Courtney Albritton is still in recovery after breaking her arm March 8 while up at bat against the University of North Alabama. The junior was two hits away from the Gulf South Conference record for career hits, however she did not end up making it through the game. At the bottom of the first inning, Albritton was struck by a pitch thrown by Hillary Carpenter, breaking her arm and forcing her to leave the game in an emergency. The doctor originally told Alritton she would be out for six to eight weeks in order for her to fully recover from the injury and safely return back to softball. “It’s very difficult just watching,” Albritton said. “But I knew when I broke my arm that I had to find another role on the team.” In the meantime, almost four weeks after the injury happened, Albritton has started rehab and will visit the doctor next week to find out
an official time for her to start playing again. While Albritton is on the sidelines, she pushes her teammates and motivates them to do their best. “I’m more behind the scenes now,” Albritton said. “I encourage [the team] off the field between innings and at practices.” The softball team is currently on a 24-game streak and continues to perform well with Albritton’s encouragement from the sidelines.
VSU Athletics
Courtney Albritton swings in hopes of beating the record for career hits before breaking her arm in the game against North Alabama on March 8.