LIVINGSTON, Ala. – After turning in a 3-3 mark this past weekend at the UAH Chillout, the University of West Alabama softball team returns to the diamond on Tuesday, Feb. 23, travelling to Fairfield, Ala. to face region foe Miles College. The twinbill is set for 1 p.m. at Pleasant Grove High School.
The Tigers (7-3) closed out their weekend in Decatur, Ala. with a 13-4 win over Southern Indiana on Sunday afternoon. UWA also picked up wins over fifth-ranked Indianapolis and Georgia College & State over the weekend.
Junior outfielder Valisha Fincher paced the UWA offense with a .400 average and drove in five runs and crossed the plate nine times. The Tarrant, Ala.-native keyed UWA's bats in the shutout of Indianapolis as she blasted her first home run of the season. Against Southern Indiana, she went a perfect 3-for-3 with a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Fincher collected her first career triple in the five-inning contest along with a double. Junior transfer Lindsey Skinner put together a solid weekend at the dish, pounding out five hits and driving in five runs. The Vestavia Hills, Ala.-product belted her first UWA career home run in the Southern Indiana contest.
UWA's main catalyst in the circle has been junior righthander Katie Ford. Ford is a spotless 5-0 on the season in eight appearances. The Garden City, Kan.-native has allowed just nine earned runs in her 33.1 innings pitched this season. Ford has fanned 40 batters and walked nine. Opposing batters are hitting .178 against her. Senior Jessica Cervantes closed out a pair of games this weekend to garner her first two saves of the season. The two saves this weekend bumped her UWA career total to 15.
The Miles Golden Bears, who are the reigning Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Champions, enter the midweek contest in search of their first win of the season. MC is coming off a pair of setbacks to Alabama A&M this past Saturday.
Tuesday's tilt is the first of a home-and-home series with MC this season. The Bears make the return trip to Livingston on March 24.
Following the MC doubleheader, the Red and White return to the UWA Softball Complex on Saturday, Feb. 27, hosting the UWA Invitational. Spring Hill College and Kentucky Wesleyan will converge on Livingston for the two day event.
