Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team pounded out 20 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Stillman College on Wednesday afternoon at the UWA Softball Complex. UWA blanked SC 15-0 in the opener and claimed a 7-2 decision in the second contest.
The Tigers will carry a spotless 4-0 mark into this weekend's UAH Chillout in Decatur, Ala. UWA opens the three-day, six-game event on Friday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. against Georgia College & State.
UWA put together back-to-back seven spots in the second and third innings thanks to the long ball in the opener. Senior Angela Hanna cleared the bases with a three-run blast to centerfield, scoring Anna Shartzer and Ashley Frost, who started the second with a single and double respectively. Hanna has now turned in a home run in back-to-back games. Junior Stephanie Beahn joined the home run parade with grand slam over the centerfield wall in the second. In the third, UWA added a pair of round-trippers off the bats of Meagan Sloke and Hannah Billingsley. All 12 of UWA's hits in the first game came in the second and third innings.
In the circle, UWA junior Katie Ford came a few feet away from a no-hitter, but a bunt single by Stillman's Arnishkia Nelson in the third ended the possibility. Ford (2-0) turned in her second gem of the season with a five-inning complete game. The Garden City, Kan.-native fanned nine and faced just 17 batters.
In the second game, Stillman jumped ahead 2-0 in the second inning with its only runs of the day. UWA answered with a four-run bottom half. Senior Lauren Mills opened the frame with a double and was plated on a miss-played ball off the bat of Mary Wright. The Tigers took advantage of two SC errors and scored on a pair of wild pitches. Shartzer and Brandi McGee led the Red and White bats with 2-for-3 performances at the plate. Senior pitcher Jessica Cervantes (1-0) picked up the win after tossing five innings and posting a career-best nine strike outs.
The Tigers will carry a team batting average of .422 along with an earned run average of .091 into the weekend activity. Shartzer, from Gulf Shores, Ala., has started her collegiate career on the right foot, posting eight hits in nine plate appearances. Opponents are hitting just .188 against Tiger hurlers after four games.
Following UWA's 10 a.m. match up with GCSU, it will take on Sunshine State Conference member Barry University at Noon.
