ROME -- The Lady Hawks' seventh inning rally came up short as they fell to No. 5, Valdosta State, 8-6 Sunday afternoon.

Shorter moves to 19-9 on the season and 8-4 in the Gulf South Conference; while the Blazers move to 21-6 overall and 10-2 in conference play.

Valdosta State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, before the Lady Hawks cut the lead to two in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own on an RBI single from Ericka Bynum.

The Blazers extended their led to 8-1 with runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. But, from there Shorter rallied; scoring five over the final three innings for the 8-6 final score.

In the fifth, the Lady Hawks added two as Maddie Hunt delivered and RBI single through the left side to bring in Abi Valdes, who pinch ran for Hailey Baswell after she reached back on a fielder's choice. Bynum then delivered her second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Ashley Langel; who was pinch running for Carson Carriker.

In the seventh, Shorter added three runs for the 8-6 score. With one out, Tiffany Holland delivered a bunt single, and moved to second on a single from Hunt, before coming in on an RBI double from Bynum – the RBI gives her 174 for her career to tie her with the all-time career record set by Libby Munson from 2008-2011. Kameron Carter then walked to load the bases, before Dani Lukas followed with a single through the right side to plate Hunt. The final run of the game came in on an RBI single from Savannah Thomas.

Payton Lippert took the loss; allowing five runs – three earned – on four hits with two walks and a strikeout through 2.1 innings of work. Hannah Draper pitched the final 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Of the Lady Hawks' 14 hits, Hunt and Holland finished with three; while Bynum and Thomas added two apiece.

Shorter returns to action Wednesday afternoon at Alto Park in a non-conference doubleheader with Armstrong State beginning at 1:00pm.