FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats rivalry heated up as two of top of the East Division faced off Saturday afternoon. Rachel Clark fired an opening 3-hitter to lead Fort Valley State to a 5-0 shutout, before Albany State edged out a 3-0 victory in the second softball contest.

Clark allowed a runner in the first and one in the sixth to reach third base, but no closer. The freshman did not give up a hit until the fourth with two outs and then one in the fifth and a one-out double in the sixth. Leading 1-0 going to the home fourth, FVSU (26-15/18-4 SIAC East) received a Laila Leverett lead off single and two hitters later Jennifer Ramirez drove her home with a RBI hit. Ashtyn Perkins reached on a Lady Ram error and Chasity Kates lined home Ramirez for a 3-0 tally. Leah Leonard sliced the third single in a row for the fourth run of the at bat and 5-0 advantage. The ASU double in the sixth turned out to be the lone hit in the last two innings and Clark shut the door in order in the seventh.

The Lady Rams (28-14/16-6 SIAC East) came back with single runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh as the lone scores of the late affair. FVSU could not take advantage of Leonard reaching third base with one out in the first and Mariah Williams and Leonard getting to third and second in the home sixth. In the final turn at the plate, Riley Jenkins and Perkins reached base on a single and walk, but ASU retired the final hitter to end the day.

FVSU accounted for 13 of the day's 20 total hits in the two contests. Williams finished her day 4 for 5 with a stolen base, while Leonard added a pair of singles with a run, one RBI and four stolen bases. Avery Thomas chipped in a single in each contest. Riley Youngblood, Leverett, Ramirez, Kates and Jenkins all singled once.

Clark scattered three hits over seven innings with two walks to improve to 11-7 in the circle.

FVSU and ASU complete the 3-game set on Sunday afternoon, April 20, starting at 1 p.m.

-Wildcats-