LIVINGSTON, Ala. – West Alabama rebounded from dropping game one 5-2 to West Georgia by winning game two 3-1 in a Gulf South Conference softball double-header at the UWA Softball Complex on Saturday.
The win snapped a seven game losing skid for West Alabama, who moves to 17-31 overall and 7-25 in the GSC. West Georgia is now 32-23 and 15-17.
"The inability to take care of the softball hurt us again in game one," said UWA head coach
Will Atkinson.
"We kicked it around a little bit in the second game too, but we still didn't get the timely hits in the first game either. Our offense made up for some defensive mistakes in game two. We pitched really well in both games. I am really proud in how the pitching staff came into today. Overall I am very pleased with our effort."
After the Wolves claimed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a RBI double by Marley Stowers, UWA responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Audrey Diekmann put the Tigers on the board with an RBI double of her own. She went on to put her team ahead, scoring on a passed ball in the same inning.
West Alabama clung to its one run lead up until the top of the fifth when Kimberly Strebe took advantage of a Tiger error to score the game tying run. In the ensuing inning, two more UWA errors and three hits by the Wolves lifted West Georgia back into the lead with three more runs.
UWG totaled 10 hits to the Tigers six, led by Randi Phillips and Peyton Stallworth. Both Wolves had two hits including a double each. Sierra Stella also added two hits and posted two RBI's.
Diekmann and
Lacey Santiago each went 2-for-3 at the plate for UWA. Both of Diekmann's hits came as doubles.
Kathryn Woody (11-5) took the win in game one, allowing one earned run and five hits through six innings. She struck out two batters and walked one.
Ashley Stassin (5-7) took the loss, giving up two earned runs. She struck out one batter and walked one.
Both teams exchanged runs early again in game two. Jordan Corbin knocked in the Wolves' only run in the top of the first with a single, before being thrown out at second. West Alabama answered with an RBI double from
Libby Davis.
The Tigers broke the 1-1 stalemate in the bottom of the third, piecing together two runs on two UWG errors and a hit.
Ashley Stassin reached on an error, scoring
Jenna Goldsmith.
Kristen Bittle singled to bring around Diekmann.
Davis finished 2-for-3 with two doubles as both teams tallied five hits each. Goldsmith finished with two runs.
Santiago, the lone senior on the squad who was honored prior to game one as part of the Tiger's Senior Day, added a stolen base in each game making her 10-for-10 in bases stolen this season.
Amanda Medders (4-13) opened the first five innings of game two to take the win. She struck out two batters and gave up no earned runs on five hits.
Andrea Edmonds picked up her second save of the year, entering in the sixth to allow no hits through two innings. Megan Roberts (4-5) took the loss with three runs and three hits through three innings.
"I'm really proud in how we bounced back today," Atkinson said.
"We could have gotten our feelings hurt after game one and thrown in the towel. West Georgia is a good ball club with over 30 wins this year and we have a chance to end the season on a positive note by taking the series over West Georgia tomorrow."
The series will conclude with game three on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
