LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Opening up conference play, the University of West Alabama split a doubleheader with visiting No. 11 North Alabama on Sunday afternoon at Tartt Field. The Tigers won 5-2 before falling 6-3 in the nightcap and now feature a 9-8 (1-1 Gulf South Conference) record. UNA leaves town with a 13-5 (1-1 GSC) mark.

The Tigers jumped on the guests quickly in the opening contest as they scored a pair of runs in both the first and second innings.

The top of the order sparked the surge as Brian Simone and Kevin Deese hit back-to-back singles from the second and third spots in Head Coach Gary Rundles' lineup, respectively, and thus were in position to score when Colin McKeen reached on an error later in the frame.

Ladarrius Cole got in on the action in the second inning as he singled with two outs and then scored when Simone blasted his third homer of the season over the fence in the gap between center and right.

Simone sits tied for the team lead with Micah Reeves in home runs as both have three on the year.

Another home run – this time from Deon Williams – gave UWA its fifth run of the game in the third frame. Williams' first dinger of the year was particularly impressive as it sailed over the wall in left, cutting through a stiff wind that was blowing out to right off of Lake LU.

The quick start was notable as the Tigers were going up against one of the GSC's best pitchers to this point in Trey Mitchell (4-1) who entered play on Sunday with a 1.61 ERA, having won in each of his four times out.

UWA starter Colter Millican threw 4.2 strong innings, scattering five hits and walking two while striking out four. He left in the fifth after allowing the Lions to scratch out a pair of runs to cut the Tiger advantage to 5-3.

Millican gave way to Barry Meeks (2-1) who picked up his second win in as many outings. He tossed 3.1 innings of solid relief as he allowed just two hits while walking one and striking out one, also. Brian Burgess (3) pitched a perfect ninth to record his third save of the season.

It was the Lions who scored early in the day's finale.

UNA took advantage of three walks as Jared Mothershed stroked a bases-clearing double that scored three, and he alertly scored the frame's fourth run when Jeb Huber (3-1) picked off Josh Carpenter at first base. Carpenter forced his way into a rundown and Mothershed scored before the out was recorded.

Huber settled down from the rough beginning to his day – he walked five in the first two innings – to surrender four hits in six innings, and he also struck out five before ultimately picking up his first loss of the season.

Johnny Hornbuckle (3-1) was stellar as he did not allow a hit until Cole reached on a bunt with one out in the sixth. Cole came around to score his team-leading 19th run of the season when Simone singled him in, cutting the score to 5-1 in favor of the Lions as UNA had added a run in the top half of the inning.

Following the Lions tacking on an insurance run in the top half, UWA added a pair of runs in the seventh as Williams scored after Simone drew a bases-loaded walk for his fourth RBI of the day. Deese drove in the other run of the inning as his groundout plated Tyler Shaw to give Deese the team-lead with 17 runs driven in on the year.

Simone finished the day with four hits in six at-bats in addition to earning two free passes.

UWA will return to action on Wednesday for its first mid-week game of the season when it hosts Stillman at 4 p.m. The contest can be heard on ESPN 104.9 FM.