LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of
West Alabama softball team punched its
ticket to the Gulf South Conference
Tournament with a 2-0 win over North Alabama
in the second game of the doubleheader. The
Lions topped UWA in the opening game, 3-1.
The
Tigers (42-16, 12-14 GSC) needed a win,
coupled with a UAH sweep of West Georgia to
secure the final spot from the GSC East.
The Chargers doubled up the Wolves, 4-0 and
10-2. UWA will be making its first
appearance in the GSC postseason event since
the 1997 ballclub ran the table to the claim
the GSC Title. With the win, UWA matched
the single-season win total with 42 wins in
the regular season. The 1988 squad posted a
42-13 mark under Liz Kelly.
UWA
will begin GSC Tournament action on Friday,
May 1, in Southaven, Miss. against the
top-seed from the GSC West, Arkansas Tech.
UWA and ATU will kick off the three-day
event at 9:30 a.m. The
Tigers topped the Golden Suns, 9-8, at the GSC Crossover.
The
Tigers took advantage of four Lion miscues
in the contest, as both runs were unearned.
The Red and White scored its first run in
the third on a throwing error by the UNA
first baseman, trying to punch out Valisha
Fincher at third base. Fincher scored on
the play to give UWA the 1-0 lead. The
Tigers added an insurance run in the fifth
after an RBI single by Kelli Hartley plated
Lauren Mills. Mills started the inning with
a single through the left side. Mills led
all Tigers at the plate with three hits on
the day.
UWA
senior right hander Brittany McGee turned in
a stellar performance in the circle, as the
Demopolis, Ala.-native tossed four scoreless
innings before giving way to Jessica
Cervantes. McGee scattered six hits and
pitched around trouble on multiple
occasions, including a bases-loaded jam in
the third. Cervantes logged her 13th
save of the season after shutting down UNA
in the final three at bats.
In the opener, UNA
(22-30, 8-19 GSC) jumped out to a 3-0 lead
after three complete innings and rode the
shoulders of starter Jennifer Sexton.
Sexton kept the UWA bats at bay in the
complete game performance, as she fanned
nine Tigers and allowed four hits. The lone
UWA run came in the fifth, as Emily White’s
RBI single to the pitcher scored Courtney
Gordon. Gordon turned in a one-out double
to left in the inning.
