LIVINGSTON, Ala. – West Alabama softball spilt its midweek, non-conference double header with Auburn Montgomery, defeating the Warhawks 4-2 in the opener before falling 9-3 in the finale at the UWA Softball complex on Wednesday.

With the Game 1 win, the Tigers snapped a four-game skid and now own a 19-24 record on the season. The Warhawks move to 21-16 overall.

"We came into today with a totally different mindset," UWA head coach Carie Dever-Boaz said. "We spent a lot of time yesterday breaking things down into simple tasks because when things start going in a bad direction, it can look like a monstrous task to recover from.

"I moved myself off of third base and into the dugout in order to really feel the heartbeat of this team," Dever-Boaz said. "I liked the way that worked. They seemed to respond better, and although they missed a few signals, that's just part of the new system."

AUM struck first in the opener, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Jaycie Walker launched a two-run homer over centerfield.

However, the Tiger responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame as Allison Craft, Chelsea Lobitos and Ashlend Rodriguez each tallied a run-batted-in, giving UWA a lead it would not surrender.

Audrey Diekmann drove in Abby Mckee on a double to right center in the bottom of the fourth, moving the score line to a final 4-2.

Craft and McKee led the Tigers at the plate with two hits apiece. Ashley Smart, AC Storey and Brianna Buie each chipped in a hit in the win. Craft, Rodriguez, Diekmann and Lobitos all posted an RBI. Parker Pinholster, Abby Krueger, Kalee Sparks, Amy Persinger and Walker each recorded one of the Warhawks five hits.

"While I'm not thrilled with the girls' performance in the second game, I don't think the final score is really indicative of the entire game," Dever-Boaz said. "Taking the first game was a good way to get the monkey off our back although we let it crawl back out of our pocket in Game 2."

AUM again jumped on a 2-0 advantage to start Game 2 as Sydney Dishman and Krueger ripped off back-to-back solo homers in the first inning. An RBI single off the bat of Rachel Ragland extended the AUM lead to 3-0 in the fourth.

"We were able to come back and answer after falling down three runs, but we just fell apart in the fifth," Dever-Boaz said. "You can't afford those type of mistakes against a team like that."

The Tigers cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, capitalizing on an AUM error before Storey drove in Ashley Stassin, who doubled through the right side four batters prior.

"Now we need to find a way to get the girls to ride the momentum when they start righting the ship," Dever-Boaz said. "I think they always fall back into trying to do more than what the game has given them."

The Warhawks minimized the threat of a UWA comeback over the next three frames, tacking on 3 runs in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh. Stassin's sixth-inning solo homerun capped West Alabama's scoring on the day.

Krueger and Kaylin Finch led AUM with three hits in the finale. Pinholster and Dishman each contributed two hits, while Christy Hendrix and Ragland chipped in one hit apiece. Dishman and Kruger tallied two RBI each. Pinholster, Hendrix and Ragland also posted an RBI. Stassin led the Tigers at the plate with two hits. Diekmann and Storey each collected a hit.

Andrea Edmonds (15-20) split the twin bill, earning the Game 1 win with six strike outs while allowing a pair of earned runs on five hits in her 17^th complete game. Edmonds takes the Game 2 loss, giving uo six runs on seven hits in three innings of work.

Ragland (9-7) takes the loss in the opener, giving up three runs on a pair of hits in one inning pitched. Taylor Tiffany (7-4) earns the Game 2 win, retiring six UWA batters while allowing three runs on four hits through six innings in the circle.

"It was great to get the opportunity to try some new thing before we get back down to what really matters, and that's Shorter this weekend," Dever-Boaz said. "We have one day to get a little bit of practice in before we hop on the bus and get right back at it. So, time will tell if all the changes work, but they are continuing to grow and learn."

The Tigers will now travel to Rome, Georgia, to face off against the eighth-placed Shorter Hawks (22-20, 11-13 GSC) in a crucial conference series, beginning with a double header on Friday. First pitch at the Alto Park Softball Complex is set for 1 p.m. CDT.