LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Softball team completed the weekend sweep over Delta State on Saturday, winning Game Two, 7-6, and Game Three, 3-2.
West Alabama (19-12, 10-8 GSC) flexed their muscle in Game Two, hitting three Home Runs in their one-run victory over Delta State (10-15, 5-12 GSC). In Game Three, Madison Wright was sharp once again on the mound while the Tigers' offense played fundamental ball to complete the sweep.
GAME TWO: UWA 7, DSU 6
Eleanor De Block registered her 14th start of the year in Game Two and found herself down early after Delta State scored off an UWA error.
The Tigers tied the ball game at one in their half of the first as Ann Marie Stanbridge scored off a passed ball. De Block dealt with control issues in the second inning, but escaped without allowing any runs to bring the UWA bats up to the dish for the bottom half.
To begin the Tigers' side, Jessica Rose drew a walk before Jessica Cross gave West Alabama their first lead of the day, by hitting her second Home Run of the season.
In the fourth, the Tigers added onto their lead. Rose singled before Cross drew a walk to bring up Trinity Hatcher, who was making her return to action after dealing with an injury. In the freshman's second at-bat back in the mix, she blasted a three-run homer to extend West Alabama's lead to 6-1.
De Block kept the Statesmen off the board in the fifth while the Tigers' bats went back to work. Riley Sullivan joined the Home Run party as the senior hit a line drive solo Home Run to left field to put UWA up 7-1.
West Alabama took their six-run lead into the sixth inning where they ran into a bit of trouble. A mix of a double, an error, and a wild pitch was the recipe for DSU scoring two runs, forcing head coach Stephanie Defoe to call on Megan Roe out of the bullpen. Roe surrendered one hit while another Tigers' error resulted in three more Delta State runs, making it a 7-6 game.
UWA couldn't score any insurance runs in the bottom half but they wouldn't need it as Roe collected her second save of the year to seal the win for the Tigers.
Hatcher led the way offensively with two hits and three RBIs while Cross and Sullivan both hit Home Runs alongside Hatcher.
GAME THREE: UWA 3, DSU 2
Looking for another home sweep, West Alabama went back to Wright in Game Three as the senior made her 15th start of season.
It was a pitcher's duel through three innings as Wright and Delta State's starter, Emma Enderud, surrendered no hits until UWA broke the ice in the fourth.
The bottom of the fourth inning began with Taylor Clegg drawing a lead off walk before the senior stole second. A bunt from Ella Watson moved Clegg to third until Sullivan drove her home via a safety squeeze to give the Tigers a 1-0 advantage.
DSU responded in the fifth as Emma Collier hit a solo Home Run to tie the game at one. The Statesmen took the lead in the following inning courtesy of an RBI-single from Abbi Cataldo.
In the bottom half, Clegg knotted the game back up as the third basemen singled home Hatcher to make it a 2-2 ball game.
Now all tied at two in the final frame, Wright retired the Statesmen side in order, leading to Stanbridge walking it off in the bottom half with an RBI-single that scored Riley Dismukes.
On the mound, Wright went all 7.0 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits. At the plate, Hatcher reached base three times while Stanbridge, Clegg, and Sullivan drove in the three runs.
West Alabama will be back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Americus, Georgia for a 1:00 p.m. double header against Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday.
