MOBILE, Ala. - The No. 13 University of West Alabama softball team defeated Spring Hill College 4-1 in game one of a scheduled doubleheader.
Game two was suspended with one out in the top of the seventh inning tied at three due to darkness. The Tigers and Badgers will look to finish the game when the two teams meet on April 16 in Livingston.
GAME ONE: West Alabama 4, Spring Hill 1
The Tigers jumped ahead early, scoring the first run of the contest in the opening inning, courtesy of a Marissa Mitchell RBI single that brought Kelsie Gilliam home.
Macy Holt tied the contest up at one in the bottom of the third, advancing home off an Airyonna Weaver foul out,
Mitchell answered with authority for the Tigers, smashing a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning, taking the 2-1 advantage.
West Alabama extended its lead to two runs in the top of the fifth with a Kelsie Gilliam RBI single. In the sixth, thanks to an error, Mitchell added a key insurance run.
Kelsie Gilliam broke the career stolen bases record in game one by stealing the 97th of her career, surpassing the previous record, 96, held by Monette Timmons for almost 30 years.
Madison Wright cleaned house to close out the contest, allowing no hits or base runners in the final two innings. Tossing her eighth complete game of the year, she improves to 7-3 in the circle.
GAME TWO: West Alabama 3, Spring Hill 3 (Top 7th, Suspended)
After a quiet first inning, Sara Fargo got the Tigers offense rolling with an RBI single, allowing Riley Sullivan, who led off the frame with a hit by pitch, to give UWA the early 1-0 advantage.
Spring Hill tied up the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning as Alexis Yuratich scored off a double play.
In the sixth, following a lead off triple by Ann Marie Stanbridge, Marissa Mitchell followed with a shot over the right field fence to give the visitors the 3-1 lead.
With the Spring Hill bats mostly quiet through most of the contest, Meadow Villar pulled the Badgers right back into it with a two-run homer of her own in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game at three.
Before play was suspended in the top of the seventh, Kelsie Gilliam singled to the third base line, putting the UWA Catcher on first with one out before the game was halted due to darkness.
West Alabama moves to 13-7 on the year, while Spring Hill falls to 1-11.
The Tigers will head home to take on Valdosta State in Gulf South Conference action on Saturday at the UWA Softball Complex. The first pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
