LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team closed out the month of March with a sweep of Millsaps College on Wednesday at the UWA Softball Complex. UWA topped the Majors 8-3 in the opener and 8-1 in the night cap.
UWA (27-13) returns to the diamond on Friday, April 2, hosting No. 21 West Florida in Gulf South Conference action. First pitch is set for Noon. The Tigers close out the weekend on Saturday as the second-ranked Blazers of Valdosta State trek to Livingston for a 1 p.m. twinbill. Both doubleheaders can be followed via live stats at www.uwaathletics.com.
In the opener, UWA erased a 3-2 deficit after MC scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning. The Tigers answered in the bottom half as they manufactured six runs on seven hits in the frame. After a lead off single by Stephanie Beahn, UWA strung together five straight hits, including a double by Kelli Hartley. After two outs, Meagan Sloke singled to left, plating the final two runs of the inning. Hartley, Lindsey Skinner and Jessica Powell paced the line up at the dish as all three had multiple hits in the contest. Hartley finished the day 4-for-7, including a pair of doubles and three RBI.
Katie Ford moved to 19-3 on the season in the circle with a five-inning outing. Ford was touched for the three runs off three hits and fanned five. Hannah Griffin tossed the final two frames, striking out three.
In similar fashion, UWA's sticks heated up late as it scored seven of its eight runs in the final three plate appearances. After pushing across a run in the first and the fourth, the Purple and White sliced the lead to 2-1 with a run in the fifth. UWA starter Hannah Billingsley pitched around trouble on two occasions in her five innings of work before the Tigers pushed six runs across the plate in the sixth.
Back-to-back doubles by Beahn and Anna Shartzer along with a triple by Hartley gave the Tigers the extra cushion. Hartley's three-bagger scored a pair, while Powell also connected on a single, driving in Hartley.
Billingsley earned the win (5-6) after tossing the first five innings. She scattered three hits and gave up a run and posted three strikeouts. Griffin and Jessica Cervantes closed out the contest, pitching an inning each. Cervantes, who currently leads NCAA Division II Softball with seven saves, was in line for her eighth of the season before the UWA explosion in the sixth.
