MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team extended its current win streak to ten games with a sweep at Huntingdon College on Thursday.  UWA blanked the Hawks 8-0 in the opening contest and staved off the Hawks 5-3 in the night cap.

The Tigers head into Gulf South Conference play at nationally-ranked Valdosta State on Saturday, March 21 with a 24-2 overall mark.  First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CST.

In the opener, UWA plated three runs in its first at bat and relied on junior Jessica Cervantes’ complete game shutout.  Laura Bagwell jump started the Tiger bats with a double down the left field line and scored the game’s first run on a single off the bat of Jessica Powell.  Kelli Hartley drilled her first of two extra base hits in the opener with a double, scoring Powell.  She later scored on a Courtney Gordon fielder’s choice.  The Northport, Ala-sophomore added a triple in the sixth.

Cervantes went the distance, scattering six hits in her second complete game shutout.  She only gave up one free pass and faced just 25 batters.

The Red and White added a run in the fifth after a bases loaded walk by Gordon, plating Ashley Edgar, who led off the frame with a single and took second on a Hawks’ fielding miscue.  UWA added unearned runs in the sixth to win by the run-rule.

The second game of the twinbill started very similar to the first game, as the Tigers raced out to a 4-0 lead after Hartley started a string of four consecutive singles.  Her base hit scored Edgar, who led off the contest with a walk.  Fincher, Gordon and White all followed Hartley with singles.  All three drove in a run in the frame.  After four and half innings of scoreless softball, HC trimmed the lead down to 4-2 in the bottom in the bottom of the sixth.  The Hawks made some noise against UWA starter, Aubree Hudson, who tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings.  She fanned five Hawks and three hits and a pair of runs.  Brittany McGee quieted HC en route to her first save of the season.  The Hawks added a run in their last at bat.

UWA picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh after Lauren Mills punched a single to right field, scoring Angela Smith.  Smith reached base with a single earlier in the frame.  Jennifer Lillard and Gordon each posted multi-hits in the contest.

The Tigers now turn their attention to the No. 8 Lady Blazers, who enter the weekend activity with a 24-4 mark after splitting a double dip with Augusta State on Wednesday.  VSU’s loss in the opening game snapped a 15-game winning streak by the Lady Blazers.  In 2008, UWA split with VSU in Valdosta, Ga.

UWA will close out the opening weekend of conference play, visiting No. 19 West Florida.  Both GSC tilts can be followed via live stats at athletics.uwa.edu.