Game 1 Box/Game 2 Box

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team, playing less than 24 hours after heartbreaking extra-inning losses, fell Saturday afternoon to UAH, dropping both games of the Gulf South Conference Eastern Division doubleheader to the Chargers, 8-0 in five innings and 5-1 at the UAH Softball Complex.

In the opener, Emily White (8-13) started on the mound for the Tigers, pitching 4 2/3 innings. She gave up eight runs (all earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts.

The Chargers broke a scoreless tie in the third inning by scoring four runs on four hits.

With two outs in the inning, Anna Parker singled to center and stole second. Kristina Prater was hit by a pitch. Stephanie Pinto doubled to left, plating Parker and Prater and giving UAH a 2-0 lead. Jenny Hess followed with a double to left, scoring Pinto and Sydney Simpson doubled to left, plating Hess. Amy Harris grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.

UAH (34-13 overall, 7-7 GSC) added to the lead in the fourth inning, plating two more runs.

Caroline Weatherly was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and advanced to second on a fielding error by Tigers third baseman Shannon Goggins as Duke took first. Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch and Weatherly scored on a groundout by Whitney Corder. With two outs, Megan Blanchard reached on an infield single, moving Duke to third and scored on the play as a throwing error was charged to Goggins.

The Chargers scored two more runs in the fifth inning to win the game 8-0.

Sage Woodham (16-4) got the win for UAH, pitching five innings and giving up one hit – a Krista Merrifield base hit in the third inning.

In the second contest, Brittany McGee (3-4) took the loss. She pitched six innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with five walks and four strikeouts.

UAH grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Parker opened the frame with an infield hit and later scored on a Pinto base hit.

The Chargers extended the lead to 2-0 with a run in the second and pushed the margin to 3-0 in the third inning.

UAH took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring a pair of runs on two hits.

Weatherly walked to begin the fourth and stole second. With one out, Ashley Plier doubled to right-center, scoring Weatherly from second. Plier scored the final run of the inning when Parker singled to right.

The Tigers (22-27, 1-13) tried to rally, cutting the deficit to 5-1 on a Sheila Jordan solo home run, but it wasn’t enough.

Jordan paced the West Alabama offense, going 2-for-4, while Heather Shugart was 2-for-3.

Sarah Beth Medley (10-5) took the win for UAH. She pitched six innings, giving up a run on five hits with 10 strikeouts. Hess worked an inning of relief.

West Alabama returns to action Thursday, April 12 in Decatur, Ala., at the Gulf South Conference Crossover. The Tigers will play Southern Arkansas at 4:00 p.m. and UAM at 6:00 p.m.