GULF SHORES, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Softball team split Day One of the Gulf Shores Invitational, losing to Saint Leo, 3-0, before defeating Spring Hill, 7-6, in Game Two.

It was a tale of two games for West Alabama (1-1, 0-0 GSC) as they struggled offensively against Saint Leo (2-0, 0-0 SSC), collecting just one hit while pushing across seven runs on eight hits against Spring Hill (2-1, 0-0 SIAC).

GAME ONE: Saint Leo 3, West Alabama 0

Eleanor De Block got the ball in the season opener, and threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs.

The Tigers' bats got off to a slow start against Saint Leo's Chloe Hocquard. UWA recorded their first hit in the top of fourth inning, while De Block dodged trouble on the mound in the second and third to keep the game scoreless at zero into the fourth inning.

After leaving runners stranded in back-to-back innings, the Lions pushed a run across on De Block in the bottom of the fourth. Marissa Martinez broke the ice with an RBI-Single, forcing head coach Stephanie Defeo to make a change on the mound. Coach Defeo brought in Ann Marie Stanbridge who inherited a bases loaded situation. The Lions' Sydney Cline was the first batter to greet Stanbridge and proceeded to hit a two-run double to make it a 3-0 game. Stanbridge retired the next batter to end Saint Leo's side of the fourth.

Stanbridge kept the Lions off the board for the remainder of the game, but the Tigers failed to generate offense as they fell 3-0 in the season opener.

GAME TWO: West Alabama 7, Spring Hill 6

Stanbridge got the start on the mound in Game Two.

Spring Hill struck first, scoring two runs in the first inning courtesy of a Destiny Pierce two-run single. West Alabama responded in the bottom half of the inning as Trinity Hatcher launched a two-run Home Run to knot the game at two.

Megan Roe relieved Stanbridge in the second inning and surrendered a run to the Badgers in the top half, putting UWA behind 3-2. The Tigers responded once again in the bottom half of the inning. Trinity Brooks led off the inning with a single before Jessica Rose ripped a double, putting runners on second and third. Stanbridge was due up next and drove Brooks in to tie the game at three.

In the fourth inning, Spring Hill pushed two more runs across with Janci Aube collecting a two-run single. 

Now trailing 5-3, West Alabama's Ella Watson opened the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff Home Run to cut the Tigers' deficit to one. Later in the inning, Haley Shannon gave UWA their first lead of the game with a two-run single, driving in Sha'Keria Washington and Kayla Morris.

Now in line for the win, Roe put together her best inning of work in the fifth to keep the Tigers' ahead, 6-5. The senior right hander received an insurance run from her offense in the bottom of the sixth as Jessica Rose drove in Brooks via a Sacrifice Fly.

Errors almost came back to bite the Tigers in the final inning. A pair of errors led to a Badgers' run to make it a one-run game before a baserunning blunder from Spring Hill ended the game with UWA on top, 7-6.

Stanbridge led the way offensively, going 2-3 at the plate along with an RBI, while Shannon and Hatcher both recorded two RBIs. On the mound, Roe picked up the win, pitching 6.0 innings.

West Alabama will conclude the Gulf Shores Invitational on Sunday with matchups against Middle Georgia State and Florida Tech at 10:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.