Game 1 Box/Game 2 Box

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Alabama softball team dropped the first game of a Gulf South Conference doubleheader against West Florida 1-0 Sunday afternoon, but the Tigers rallied with a five-run seventh inning  to defeat the Argonauts, 9-5 at the UWF Softball Complex.

In the second contest the bats came alive for the Tigers (25-32 overall, 4-18 GSC).

After giving up a run in the first inning, West Alabama’s offense came alive in the top of the second inning.

With one out, Jennifer Lillard singled up the middle and advanced to second on an infield hit by Alisha Berry. After a Sheila Jordan pop out for the second out of the inning, Laura Bagwell walked. All three on base came around to score on a grand slam home run by Shannon Goggins, her 15^h homer of the season. Heather Shugart reached on an error, but was stranded at first when Emily White flied out to center.

The Argonauts (29-22, 9-9) loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning as Whitney Gay walked and Taren Walton reached on an error by Jordan at shortstop. Nikki VanCamp walked. Julie Carroll followed with a base hit to center, scoring Gay from third. Valerie Staub ripped a single to center, plating VanCamp and Walton to tie the game, 4-4.

After a pitching change, Cherise Gonzales grounded out to second for the first out as Staub moved to second. Ellen Marsh was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but the Tigers got out of the inning as Melissa Chastang grounded into a double play.

West Florida broke the 4-4 tie by scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Heather Bell was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chastang. Bell moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield hit by Ashlee Simpson, giving the Argonauts a 5-4 lead.

In the seventh inning, West Alabama rallied by scoring five runs on four hits to grab a 9-5 lead.

Goggins, who went 3-for-4 to lead the West Alabama offense, led off the frame with a double to center. Shugart followed with a double to center, scoring Goggins to tie the game at 5. Mary Wright came in to pinch run for Shugart and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Emily White. Samantha White followed with a walk to put runners on the corners with one out. After a wild pitch moved Samantha White to second, Krista Merrifield reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases.

Lillard, who went 2-for-4, slapped a base hit into center, scoring Wright from third to give the Tigers the lead. Berry, who was 2-for-3, doubled to score Samantha White and Merrifield. Jordan reached on a throwing error by Staub, the Argonauts’ third baseman, allowing Merrifield to score the fifth run of the inning. After a ground out by Bagwell, Goggins flied out to center to end the inning.

Aubree Hudson started for the Tigers, working two innings. She gave up four runs (one earned) on three hits with four walks. Brittany McGee (4-6) took the win, pitching five innings of relief. She surrendered a run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Emily Burge started for West Florida on the mound, pitching two innings, giving up four runs on three hits. Walton came on in relief working five innings. She gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

In the opener, Emily White (9-16) started on the mound for the Tigers. She gave up a run (unearned) on four hits with seven walks and four strikeouts in taking the loss.

The game remained scoreless heading into the top of the seventh, where the Tigers put runners on the corners, but failed to get a run across.

Shugart doubled to left to begin the inning and moved to third when Emily White reached on a fielding error by Carroll, the West Florida first baseman. But Corey Curlee flied out to second, Samantha White grounded out to shortstop and Merrifield flied out to left to end the inning.

West Florida won the game in the bottom of seventh inning as Gay led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Walton. VanCamp reached on an error by Jordan at shortstop, allowing Gay to score the winning run.

Walton (14-8) started on the mound for the Argonauts. She scattered just three hits with a pair of walks and six strikeouts in earning the victory.

West Alabama concludes its season 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 27 with a doubleheader against Gulf South Conference foe West Georgia at the UWA Softball Complex.