HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team suffered a pair of Gulf South Conference setbacks at top-ranked UAH on Saturday.  UWA dropped the opening game, 9-4, before falling 9-1 in the second contest.

UWA’s GSC Tournament life remains in the balance heading into the final day of the regular season.  The Tigers travel to in-state rival North Alabama on Sunday to close out the regular season.  The Lions split a Saturday doubleheader with West Georgia, claiming a 1-0 extra inning affair.  UWG edged UNA 1-0 in the night cap.  UWA needs at least one win along with two losses by the Wolves, who take on UAH on Sunday, to clinch a tournament spot.  First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

UAH started the scoring in its first at bat with a two-run blast by Beth Lawson, but the Tigers responded with two runs in the top of the second.  Sophomore Valisha Fincher belted her fist of two home runs of the day to put UWA on the board.  Senior Courtney Gordon followed with a double down the left field line.  Gordon knotted the game after crossing the plate on an RBI single from Emily White.  The Chargers regained the lead with a run in the bottom half of the second.  A pair of back-to-back walks and two throwing miscues doomed UWA in the third, as the pair of walks started a four-run frame for the Blue and White.  The Tigers trimmed the deficit to 7-4 in fifth, as a Laura Bagwell lead off walk and a base hit by Angela Smith jumpstarted the rally.  Kelli Hartley plated the pair of runs with a double up the middle.  UAH extended the lead out to five with a solo runs in the fifth and sixth. 

UWA starter Aubree Hudson (15-7) was staked with the loss in the opening game.  UAH touched Hudson for five runs on four hits.  Hudson allowed five free passes in her two innings pitched.  As a pitching staff, UWA finished with seven walks.

Charger starter Whitney Hawkins baffled the Tiger line up in the second contest.  Hawkins turned in a five inning complete-game performance.  UWA registered just two hits off Hawkins, both coming in the final at bat.  Fincher corked her second home run of the day to lead off the fifth for the lone Tiger run of the affair.  Bagwell connected on a single to left.

After UAH plated a run in the second and exploded for eight runs in the third.  The Chargers turned in three two-run doubles along with a run-scoring single.  UAH registered eight of it ten hits in the frame.  Brittany McGee took the loss, dropping her season’s mark to 14-6.