GULF SHORES, Ala. – Sophomore
Libby Davis belted a walk-off home run over centerfield that lifted West Alabama softball to a 5-4 victory over Flagler College and split in the first day of the Gulf Coast Invitational. The Tigers fell 11-0 to defending National Champions North Georgia in game one.
The Tigers begin the 2016 season 1-1 overall. North Georgia improves to 2-4, while Flagler falls to 3-5.
"We have a lot of people that are new, and we just had a little bit of the first game jitters," said UWA head coach
Will Atkinson.
"Credit to North Georgia, they're the defending national champions for a reason. They came with a great game plan, executed and we weren't able to make the adjustments."
Taking a four-run lead in the first inning, North Georgia added one run in the third inning and six more runs in the fourth en route to the shutout.
Courtney Poole, North Georgia's 2015 National Player of the Year, struck out 14 of 18 batters faced to improve to 3-0 on the year.
Allie Kelley (0-1) gave up four runs to take the loss in the first game.
"We just didn't lay off Poole's rise ball, and I think that's going to happen from time to time," said Atkinson. "I think you'll be able to see this team grow and make that adjustment in the future."
After falling behind four runs to Flagler with three runs in the top of the fifth and one in the sixth, West Alabama put up four runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth inning behind a three-run homer off the bat of
Ashley Stassin and set up Davis' walk-off home run.
"As far as the second game, we started out kind of back and forth," Atkinson said.
"The team did a really good job today of not getting down when they could have. It's always fun to win, and it's always fun to get that first one so maybe we can come out tomorrow and do something a little better."
Andrea Edmonds (1-0) earned the win for the Tigers as Halley Corbally (0-3) gave up two home runs to take the loss in game two.
West Alabama has two more games in the invitational on Sunday. It will face off against McKendree University at 11:15 a.m. followed by Young Harris College at 1:30 p.m.
