FLORENCE, Ala. – North Alabama's Marissa Hancock and Sydney Sanders combined for six runs-batted-in, leading the defending DII National Champion Lions to a Gulf South Conference double-header sweep of West Alabama softball, 5-2 and 5-3 at the UNA Softball Complex on Saturday.
 
The Lions improve to 18-10 on the season, moving up to 8-6 in the league. The Tigers fall to 14-15, dropping to 7-7 among GSC competition.
 
"These were two frustrating games because they were so close," UWA head coach Carie Dever-Boaz said. "Our girls missed some fly balls I've seen them make plays on before, and that helped them get ahead of us early."
 
"We forced ourselves to play keep up with the reigning national champs, and that really changed the atmosphere."
 
UNA jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Hancock drove in Bailey Nelson, who reached with a lead-off triple.
 
UWA evened the score in the top of the third, bringing Ashlend Rodriguez across the plate on a single off the bat of Jenna Goldsmith. However, the Lions re-took the lead in the bottom of the frame on another RBI-single from Hancock.
 
Sanders extended the North Alabama lead in the fourth, picking up two RBIs on a double to left field. Two batters later, Sabrina Gilliam grounded out to second base, allowing Sanders to reach from third base, pushing UNA ahead 5-1.
 
Allison Craft cut the deficit to 5-2 in the fifth, driving in Goldsmith for an unearned run before the Lions stranded two Tiger base runners over the next two frames to secure the GSC win.
 
Audrey Diekmann and Ashley Smart led UWA at the plate with two hits apiece. Sarah Beth King, Craft and Rodriguez each chipped in a hit. Hancock and Sanders each turned in two hits and two RBIs in the contest.
 
"We turned some tremendous double plays that got us out of some rough innings," Dever-Boaz said. "We were a hit, catch or strikeout away from seeing one, if not two, different ball games."
 
Gilliam put the Lions on the board in the first inning of Game 2 with a double to right-center, knocking in Nelson, who reached on a single on the previous at-bat. Shelby Woodard singled two batters later to drive Gilliam around to score, while a passed ball on a strikeout allowed Reagan Tittle to cross the plate, giving UNA a 3-0 lead.
 
A two-run shot over right center from Hancock capped the Lions' scoring for the day, extending the North Alabama lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Smart drove in all three of the Tigers runs in Game 2, starting with a single in the fifth before a two-run blast in the seventh brought West Alabama back within two, trailing 5-3.
 
"I thought our girls fought hard," Dever-Boaz said. "Shay (Borowiak) did an absolutely amazing job coming in and not allowing a single hit. She kept them off-guard and off-balance."
 
Smart paced UWA in the nightcap, driving in three on two hits while Goldsmith, King and AC Storey each grabbed a hit. Woodard and Gilliam each posted two hits, while Hancock picked up a pair of RBIs.
 
Hillary Carpenter (9-4) earns the Game 1 win, allowing one earned run on eight hits while striking out six in a complete game. Raven Cole (6-4) earns the Game 2 win, disallowing a hit until the fourth frame while pitching all seven innings.
 
Andrea Edmonds (10-11) takes both losses, allowing nine runs while striking out seven in 10.2 innings of work.
 
The Tigers and Lions will complete the GSC series with Game 3 on Sunday. First pitch is sated for 1 p.m.