Softball | 5/8/2003 7:36:00 PM

Box Score MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The host Barry Buccaneers cooled off the Valdosta State Blazers 5-1 in a winners bracket game in the NCAA Division II Softball South Region Tournament Thursday at Buccaneer Field.

The Bucs jumped out in front early. KD Smith led off the game with a double and scored two outs later on a single by Kim Fujimoto. Kristina Socarras added an RBI double to bring in Fujimoto and Nora Conroy knocked in Socarras and Amanda Moore, who had walked.

"It was a huge first inning for us," Barry head coach Shelly Lis said. "It seems like that's the way it's worked for us all year. KD (Smith) leads off and gets on, we get her over and she finds a way to get in."

The game slowed down into a pitcher's duel between Barry's Geralyn Elam and VSU's Brooke King. The pair only allowed two more runs over the last six innings. Elam (31-4) picked up the win, allowing only two hits, but struck out only four.

"We just tried to keep them from getting solid contact," Elam said. "Instead of trying to strike everyone out, I just let the defense play their game and kept them off balance."

King (21-8) was tagged with the loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and three walks. She struck out two.

"I ended up throwing a lot more changeups than I usually do," King said. "But that was what was working, so I made the adjustment after the first inning."

The Bucs (50-8) advance to face the winner of the West Florida/Alabama-Huntsville late game at 4:00 pm on Friday. Valdosta drops down to face Kentucky State in an elimination game at 1:30 pm.

Barry 5, Valdosta State 1 (May 07, 2003 at Miami Shores, Fla.)
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Valdosta State...... 000 100 0 - 1 2 0 (48-20)
Barry............... 400 001 X - 5 8 0 (50-8)
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Pitchers: Valdosta State - King. Barry - Elam.
Win-Elam(31-4) Loss-King(21-8) T-1:38 A-279