Crossover Central

DECATUR, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team opened the Gulf South Conference Crossover with a pair of wins, thanks to four home runs combined on the day.  UWA downed Henderson State, 3-1 before blanking Christian Brothers 1-0 in the second contest.

With the sweep, the Tigers moved to 31-7 overall and 5-5 in GSC play.  The 31 wins are the most wins since the 1997 season, as that ballclub posted a 32-18 final mark.

Against the Reddies of HSU, the Tigers scored all three runs off home runs, including a pair of blasts from sophomore Valisha Fincher.  The left fielder from Tarrant, Ala. opened her home run barrage in the second inning with a solo shot to centerfield.  In her next at-bat, Fincher drilled her second dinger over the right field fence to close out the scoring.  UWA took a 2-0 lead in the second on senior Emily White’s round-tripper to right. 

UWA’s pitching staff turned in a two gems, as Aubree Hudson picked up both wins in the circle.  Junior Jessica Cervantes, the nation’s save leader, closed out both contests to push her save tally to ten on the season.  Hudson combined for eight innings pitched and touched for just one run in the HSU affair.  Hudson fanned seven and walked one on the day.  HSU’s Samantha Wolfe was pushed across the plate on Blaire Whitehead’s ground out to first.  Wolfe led off the frame with a hit by pitch followed by a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch to put her in scoring position.  Senior Brittany McGee turned in a pair of scoreless frames in the fifth and sixth of both games.

Lauren Mills’ solo blast to left field in the first inning against CBU stood to be the winner.  CBU starter Nikki Dunn kept the UWA offense at bay throughout the game, as Dunn posted eight strikeouts and allowed four Tiger hits.  UWA’s other scoring threat came in the third frame.  After one down in the at bat, Jessica Powell registered a single up the middle followed by a Fincher walk.  Dunn got out of the jam with a strikeout and an infield pop up.

UWA will battle Delta State on Saturday, April 4 at Noon.  The DSU contest will be the only one of the day for the Red and White.  Live stats will be available at athletics.uwa.edu by clicking on the GSC Crossover Central link.