DECATUR, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team split on the opening day of the UAH Chillout in Decatur, Ala. The Tigers posted a come-from-behind 5-3 extra inning win over Georgia College & State before dropping a 3-2 decision to Barry.
In the opener, the Tigers jumped on the board early with a run in the first two at bats. The Bobcats of GCSU knotted the game at 2-2 with a two-run third inning. GCSU broke the deadlock with a run in the sixth. UWA sent the game into extra innings in their last at bat with a run in the top of the seventh. Valisha Fincher led off the seventh with a double and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Stephanie Beahn. Playing under the international tie-breaker rule, which means an inning starts with a runner at second base, UWA plated a pair of runs with an RBI single from senior Jennifer Lillard. Lillard plated Anna Shartzer and Ashley Frost.
After Hannah Billingsley started the contest and tossed the first two innings, Katie Ford stymied the GCSU offense until giving up her first run of the season in the sixth. Ford struck out three in her three innings of work. Senior Jessica Cervantes earned her first save of the season and 14th in her career after shutting down GCSU in the seventh and eighth.
Against Barry, the UWA offense struggled as BU pitching kept it off balance all game. BU hurlers combined to strike out 14 Tigers. The Red and White also stranded 12 base runners in the setback. UWA's two-run second was highlighted by junior Angela Smith's double. The Bucs took a 2-0 lead after their first plate appearance and scored a run in the top half to close out their run production. UWA threatened in its final at bat with a pair of runners in scoring position, but could not push the tying or go-ahead run across.
Billingsley was saddled with the loss in the circle after throwing the first three frames. Ford finished the final four innings and fanned four batters.
The Tigers will square off against a pair of top-five clubs on Saturday beginning with a 10 a.m. match up with No. 2 North Georgia. UWA will face No. 5 Indianapolis at 2 p.m.
