DAYTONA BEACH Fla. - At the second day of the Daytona Beach Invitational, hosted by Embry-Riddle University on Saturday, the University of West Alabama softball team struck back against tenth-ranked Tampa, defeating the Spartans 5-4 after dropping their initial meeting on Friday night. The Tigers took down Eckerd in game two of the day by a final of 3-2, despite a comeback effort from the Tritons.

GAME 1, West Alabama 5, Tampa 4
With an uneventful first inning on both sides, the Tampa bats awoke in the second inning as Mariah Galhouse hit a solo home run to put the Spartans up one early.

Lauren Fantone added on before the conclusion of the second inning with a two-RBI double. Luckily for the Tigers, Eleanor De Block struck out Lilly Keister to stop the bleeding.

West Alabama answered back in the bottom of the inning, as they had some help from the Tampa defense. Thanks to two errors, UWA was back within one run after De Block and Ann Marie Stanbridge scored in the frame.

The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the third courtesy of a sacrifice fly RBI from Marissa Mitchell and a solo home run from Stanbridge to make it a 4-3 ballgame.

The Spartans did even the game up at four in the fourth inning, but Stanbridge settled in from there to not allow them to score for the remainder of the game. 

After Tampa left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Mitchell played hero ball for West Alabama once again, hitting a walk-off RBI single to give the Tigers their revenge on No. 10 Tampa.

In a group effort from the circle, De Block and Stanbridge totaled eight strikeouts.

Mitchell added two RBIs, including the game-winner.

GAME 2, West Alabama 3, Eckerd 2
West Alabama kicked off the scoring in the fourth inning, with Marissa Mitchell scoring off a passed ball.

Emily Cowart followed suit with an RBI single, getting Gaddy Utsey across the plate to add another run to the West Alabama lead.

Kori Young hit yet another Tiger RBI, getting Grace Ausborn across the plate to give UWA a commanding 3-0 lead after four innings.

The Tritons entered survival mode in the seventh inning, scoring two runs with two outs, capped by an RBI single from Hannah Taylor.

Despite pulling within one run late, Eckerd's hopes were crushed as Madison Wright threw out Kinslet Castro at first to close out the contest.

Madison Wright returned to the circle in game two of the day, allowing no runs for the first six innings for the Tigers as she pitched the complete game.

Emily Cowart and Kori Young each added an RBI apiece.

West Alabama moves to 6-2 on the year and 3-1 on the weekend.

The Tigers will close out Daytona Beach play with Eckerd at 9 a.m. EDT Sunday morning followed Embry-Riddle immediately after.