PENSACOLA, Fla. - The University of West Alabama Softball team officially clinched a spot in the 2025 GSC Tournament on Sunday, after defeating the West Florida Argonauts, 2-1, in Pensacola.
UWA ( 27-15, 16-11 GSC) held UWF's (27-13, 18-9 GSC) offense at bay for the third consecutive game to secure their one-run victory and their fifth GSC series win of the year.
After a masterful performance in Game One, Madison Wright got the start again in Game Three.
The lefty put together a nice inning of work in the first and was awarded a lead in the top of the second by her offense. Ann Marie Stanbridge drew a walk and advanced to second after a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt from Ella Watson. Sara Fargo came up to the dish next and drove Stanbridge home via an RBI-double to put the Tigers ahead 1-0.
West Florida threatened to tie the game in the third inning as Gianna Guerriero registered a two-out double until Wright ended the inning, by striking out Kyndal Cornelius.
The Argonauts got to Wright in the fourth as Hannah Harper recorded a two-out RBI-double to knot the score at one.
The Tigers quickly responded in the fifth inning thanks to plate discipline and clutch hitting. Trinity Hatcher and Marissa Mitchell both drew walks, bringing up Taylor Clegg who drove in Hatcher with an RBI-single to put West Alabama back out in front.
In line for her 14th win of the season, Wright's day was finished after five solid innings. Coach Stephanie Defeo went to Eleanor De Block out of the bullpen and the junior followed up her performance from Game Two.
UWF's offense failed to solve the puzzle that is De Block for the second straight game as the right hander threw two shutout innings to record her first save of the season to clinch a 2-1 win for the Tigers.
Fargo and Ella Watson each accumulated two hits on the day while Wright and De Block combined for a line of 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO.
West Alabama will return home next weekend for their final home series of the year that's set against the Lee Flames, beginning on Friday.
