LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team will wrap up the 2010 home slate this weekend, facing Lambuth University on Saturday before taking on North Alabama in a pivotal Gulf South Conference doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch against the Eagles of LU is set for 1 p.m. UNA-UWA is set for 2 p.m. at the UWA Softball Complex.
After a Tuesday sweep of Judson College in Demopolis, the Tigers stand 34-19 overall and 9-12 in GSC play. UWA picked up four conference wins last weekend at the GSC Crossover on Decatur, Ala. UWA and UNA are in a deadlock for the final GSC Tournament berth. After Sunday, both squads have match ups with UAH and West Georgia to close out the regular season.
Prior to Saturday's twinbill, UWA will honor its five departing seniors – Angela Hanna, Jennifer Lillard, Mary Wright, Jessica Cervantes and Lauren Mills. Hanna, a two-year member of the squad, leads the Tigers in home runs with nine on the season. Lillard and Wright have been apart of the program for four seasons and have been apart of 131 wins in three-plus seasons in a red and white uniform. Cervantes, from Visalia, Calif., owns the school record for saves with 20 and ranks second in NCAA Division II Softball in career saves. Mills garnered Second Team All-GSC honors in her first season in Livingston. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-native was also tabbed to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA and Daktronics All-South Region teams in 2009.
LU and UWA met earlier this season in Jackson, Tenn. as UWA swept the Blue and White clad Eagles 9-3 and 7-3. LU enters the weekend with a 13-22 record.
Freshman Anna Shartzer continues to lead UWA at the plate with a .364 batting average and a team-best 64 hits. The Gulf Shores, Ala.-native is tied for the team lead in doubles and has driven in 20 runs. Shartzer is currently riding a 14-game hitting streak. She has hit safely in every game dating back to the second game of the Millsaps DH. She has turned in multiple hit performances in six of the 14 games.
In the circle, UWA is led by junior Katie Ford, who moved to 23-6 on the season with a complete game, one-hit performance against Judson. She turned in a season-best 11 strikeouts on Tuesday. The Garden City, Kan.-native has turned in 179 strikeouts on the season, which ranks second in the GSC.
