COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of West Alabama Softball team fell to the University of Montevallo 4-2 in the final game of the PBC/GSC Southern Softball Showdown at the South Commons Complex on Sunday.
 
The Tigers fall to 0-4 on the season, while the Falcons improves to 2-4.
 
"It was rough weekend taking the four losses, but I don't think they show the level of improvement the team has made from last year to this one," UWA head coach Carie Dever-Boaz said. "They were one swing, one pitch or one ball falling from closing out all but one of the games."
 
Left fielder Kierra Hague broke open a defensive stalemate in the bottom of the sixth inning, picking up two RBI's on a single down the right field line to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
 
West Alabama out-hit Montevallo 8-7 on the day, but one long ball in a five-hit seventh inning ultimately lifted the Falcons over the Tigers.
 
"Finishing games is a monkey we need to get off our back, but I think there are many things we can work on to fix that problem," Dever-Boaz said. "We need to get back to work on correcting base-running errors and keeping our composure when we get in a bind."
 
Back-to-back singles from UM's Haley Barnett and Holly LaForce set up Mariel Bertossi for a three-run blast in the top of the seventh, jumping the Falcons over the Tigers, 3-2.
 
With one out and two runners in scoring position, Celestia Davila extended UM's lead to 4-2 on ground ball to second base, allowing Darbi Duke to score on the fielder's choice.
 
Chelsea Lobitos went 2-for-3 at the plate with one run, and Allison Craft touched home while pinch running for Sarah Beth King. Ashley Stassin and Audrey Diekmann each pitched in a hit. Hague's two RBI's came on her only appearance at the plate.
 
Kendra Barkley and Barnett each recorded two hits in the win, while Hannah McCreless and LaForce each contributed a hit apiece. Bertossi's thee-RBI home run came on her only hit of the day.
 
Montevallo's Abbey Pratt (1-1) gets the win, allowing two runs on eight hits while facing 32 batters. Andrea Edmonds (0-3) took the loss for the Tigers, giving up four runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work.
 
"The level of energy and enthusiasm with this team is still incredible," Dever-Boaz said. "We are looking forward to getting back out there and preparing for next weekend."
 
The Tigers will travel to Montevallo, Alabama, where they will face five opponents over three days of work at the Second Annual Falcon Frenzy. UWA begins the tournament with a double header on Friday, taking on Ursuline (Ohio) at 1:30 p.m. and Tuskegee at 5 p.m.