LIVINGSTON, Ala. –  The University of West Alabama softball team turned in a Gulf South Conference sweep over in-state foe North Alabama on Sunday at the UWA Softball Complex.  The Tigers battled back to claim the opener, 3-2 and blanked the Lions, 8-0 in six innings.

With the sweep, UWA moves to 29-5 overall on the season and to the .500 mark (3-3) in league competition.  The 29 wins matches last season’s win total.  The win in game one snapped a 20-game losing skid to UNA (15-16, 1-7 GSC).  With the pair of wins, it marked the first GSC double dip sweep since March, 2004.

Senior Ashley Edgar finished the day 3-for-6, including the game-wining hit in the opener.  The Roseville, Calif.-catcher evened the opening contest at 2-2 with a solo home run to lead off the UWA third.  UNA took an early 2-0 lead off the bat of Andrea Palmer, who lifted a two-run home run to left in the opening frame.  UWA sliced the lead in half in the bottom half of the first on a RBI single from Kelli Hartley, scoring Edgar.  In the sixth, senior Emily White doubled to right field to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.  After two were down in the frame, pinch hitter Jennifer Lillard singled through the left side to keep the threat alive.  Edgar slapped a single to left field, plating the game-winning run.

After UNA’s runs in the first, UWA starter Aubree Hudson (9-3) kept the Lions at bay, allowing just three hits after the two-run shot.  She struck out four in her six innings of work.  Junior Jessica Cervantes, who ranks as the nation’s leader in saves in NCAA Division II, carded her eighth save of the season after a three up, three down seventh.

In the second game, Edgar picked up right where she finished the opener, as she drilled a solo shot to left to start a five-run first.  The Tigers strung together four hits to post the early lead.  A pair of two-run singles by Courtney Gordon and Laura Bagwell keyed the UWA start.  The five-run lead gave Tiger hurler, Brittany McGee, plenty to work with, as the Demopolis, Ala.-senior tossed a complete game shutout.  McGee (11-1) scattered four hits and fanned one in the outing.  As a staff, UWA did not give up an earned run and combined for just nine UNA hits and one free pass on the day.

UWA expanded the lead in the second, as Jessica Powell scored on an error by UNA.  Fincher picked up an RBI in the fourth, driving in Lauren Mills, who reached base via UNA’s second miscue of the contest.  UWA closed out the game in the sixth with a Gordon single up the middle, scoring Powell.  Powell led off the frame with a walk and pushed to third on a double by Hartley.

The Tigers return to the diamond on Monday, March 30, testing No. 2 UAH.  First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at the UWA Softball Complex.  The Chargers routed West Georgia on Sunday, 14-2 and 10-2.  Live stats will be available at athletics.uwa.edu.