LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team returns to the tournament trail as UWA will participate in the University of West Georgia-hosted Wolves Invitational this weekend in Carrollton, Ga.
The Tigers will open the three-day, game event on Friday, March 5 against Barry University (11-3) at 3 p.m. CST before taking on Augusta State (13-3) at 5 p.m. to close out the opening day. UWA will square off with Sunshine State foe Nova Southeastern (13-5), who ranks 14th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's first regular season Poll, at Noon. The Red and White close out day two with a 2 p.m. match up with Georgia Southwestern (10-9). Sunday's activity gets underway at 8 a.m. against Florida Southern (6-5) before concluding the weekend against Rollins (6-0) at 2 p.m.
UWA has been idle since last Sunday after Tuesday's doubleheader with Millsaps was postponed due to weather. UWA and Millsaps will face each other in Jackson, Miss. on March 23 and the Majors will travel to Livingston on March 31. UWA went 4-0 last weekend in its annual Invitational, sweeping a pair of games against Spring Hill and Kentucky Wesleyan. UWA is currently riding a seven-game winning streak that dates back to its 13-4 win over Southern Indiana to close out the UAH Chillout.
Anna Shartzer leads UWA at the dish with a .447 batting average. The rookie from Gulf Shores, Ala. leads the club in hits with 21. Shartzer sparked UWA's resurgence in the 9-8 win over KWC with her first collegiate home run in the fifth inning. She has hit safely in 14 of the 16 games played. Junior Valisha Fincher has driven in a team-best 11 runs, while junior Stephanie Beahn leads the squad in home runs with three.
As a team, UWA is hitting .304 along with 52 extra base hits in the first 16 games. The Tigers have stolen 38 bases in 40 attempts and have been selective at the plate with 66 walks as a team.
In the circle, UWA's Katie Ford ran her season's mark to 9-0 on the season with four wins last week, including two complete game shutouts and a flirtation with a no-hitter against Miles. On the season, she has struck out 60 in her 51.1 innings pitched and allowed just nine runs this season. Opposing batters are hitting just .167 against the Garden City, Kan.-native. For her efforts last week, she was named Gulf South Conference East Division Pitcher of the Week. Senior Jessica Cervantes has posted five saves on the season.
Following the weekend, UWA returns home on Tuesday, March 9 hosting Tuskegee University.
