Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LIVINGSTON, Ala. –
Brianna Buie's grand slam culminated West Alabama's hitting efforts as the Tigers spread 20 hits across 12 innings of play for a combined 24 runs, sweeping Miles College 22-0 and 2-1 in a softball double header at the UWA Softball Complex on Tuesday.
With the sweep, UWA moves back to .500 on the season with a 16-16 overall record, while the Golden Bears fall to 4-20.
"The first game was great," UWA head coach Carie Dever-Boaz said. "Everybody did what they needed to do."
Audrey Diekmann started the Tigers off in the bottom of the first, cranking out her second lead-off homer of the year.
Kierra Hague picked up two runs-batted-in five batters later with a double, while
Chelsea Lobitos scored Hague on a single up the middle to help UWA to a 4-0 lead.
Ashley Smart pushed two more Tiger runners across the plate in the second before an offensive explosion in the third frame ultimately sealed the deal in Game 1.
West Alabama scored 13 runs on eight hits, starting with a two-run blast from
Sarah Beth King.
Jenna Goldsmith walked in a run before Smart doubled to bring two more runners around, extending the Tiger lead to 11-0.
Buie widened the gap to 15-0 two batters later with a grand slam over left field.
Ashlend Rodriguez,
Savannah Smathers and
Bree Thompson each recorded RBIs in the inning, pushing the gap to 19-0 before the dust settled.
"I thought we hit the ball well and made great adjustments," Dever-Boaz said. "We looked extremely sharp defensively."
Buie grabbed her fifth RBI of the game in the fourth with a double before King knocked in two more runs on her second homerun of the contest.
Buie's five RBIs paced the Tigers in Game 1, while Smart and King each totaled four RBIs. King led Tiger batters with three hits. Goldsmith, Smart, Rodriguez, Buie and Smathers each tallied two hits apiece. Kendreuna McPherson posted all three of the Golden Bears' hits.
"We made some key defensive mistakes in the second game," Dever-Boaz said. "There were at least two or three that we should have had that really could have made a difference."
"We didn't make adjustments at the plate, but I'll tip my hat to Miles' pitcher for keeping the ball down and forcing us to pop it up."
Smart put UWA on the board in the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 with a solo shot over left field. The shortstop's second homer of the year was the only score for the next five frames.
Rodriguez capitalized on a bases-loaded situation in the sixth, earning a sacrifice fly after her long ball to right field allowed Lobitos to cross the plate to extend the Tiger lead to 2-0.
The insurance run paid off as the Golden Bears scored their lone run of the day in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of a Tiger throwing error to bring Lydia Rodriguez across the plate with two away.
Andrea Edmonds struck out the next Miles batter to secure the 2-1 victory.
Smart led UWA with two of the Tigers three hits. Jordan Jones and Jess Guzman split a pair of hits for the Golden Bears.
Edmonds (12-12) earns both wins on the day, disallowing an earned run while sitting down 13 batters in 11 innings of work. Brea Reese (1-7) takes the loss in Game 1, getting pegged for 12 runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings pitched. McPherson (1-2) takes the Game 2 loss, giving up one earned run on three hits while striking out two.
"If we want to make it to the [GSC] tournament, we're going to have to find a way to be a lot more consistent," Dever-Boaz said. "So, it's back to work to get ready for Union this weekend."
"This is a big series coming up for us. We need to take care of business up there so we can get right back in the thick of things."
The Tigers will hit the road for a Gulf South Conference match up against Union (14-13, 4-11 GSC), starting with a double header on Saturday. First pitch at the Fesmire Softball Field is set for 1 p.m.
