MONTEVALLO, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Softball team wrapped up their three-game series with the Montevallo Falcons with a 4-3 loss on Sunday.
No. 24 West Alabama (14-12, 7-8 GSC) held a one-run lead late before Montevallo (13-15, 7-8 GSC) put together another late inning rally to walk-off the Tigers for the third straight game.
After starting Game Two, Eleanor De Block got the ball again for the Tigers in Game Three. The junior right hander immediately found herself working with a lead as Ann Marie Stanbridge put UWA ahead 1-0 in the first inning courtesy of an RBI-single.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Falcons pushed two runs across on De Block after a sac fly from Molly Pendley that scored Bentlee Stiner and Riley Tyree.
West Alabama responded and tied the game in the second inning with Jessica Rose driving in Cara Rankin via a safety squeeze that was executed to perfection. With the game now tied at two, head coach Stephanie Defeo went to Alyssa Brown out of the bullpen. In the freshman's first career appearance on the mound, she retired the side with no issues to keep the score tied at two as the game progressed to the third inning.
UWA gave Brown a lead in the top of the third, with Trinity Hatcher scoring off a Montevallo error. The Tigers threatened to do more damage in the inning but left two runners stranded, taking their 3-2 lead into the bottom half.
Working with a one-run advantage, Brown continued to pitch well, holding the Falcons at bay until the fifth inning. Montevallo tied the game at three with Pendley driving in Tyree via an RBI-double. After the Falcons tied us up, coach Defeo called on Megan Roe out of the bullpen. Roe went on to pitch 1 1/3 of clean softball, taking the game into the seventh, still tied at three.
West Alabama couldn't score in the top half of the inning and saw themselves on the wrong end of a walk off in the bottom half as Pendley won it for the Falcons with an RBI-single.
West Alabama will return home next weekend for a three-game series against Delta State, but before their series with the Statesmen, UWA will dip out of conference play on Tuesday for a midweek double header at Columbus State.
