MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Behind strong performances from
Eleanor De Block and
Kayla Morris, the University of West Alabama Softball team swept their series over Christian Brothers on Sunday, winning Game Two, 9-8, and Game Three, 7-0.
GAME TWO: UWA 9, CBU 8
West Alabama (14-4-1, 4-1 GSC) overcame four Christian Brothers (3-13, 0-6 GSC) Home Runs, by drawing nine walks and recording 10 hits in route to extra inning win in Game Two.
UWA opened the game with a run in the first inning when
Haley Shannon scored on a single by
Ann Marie Stanbridge. After a fielding error, the inning concluded with the Tigers leading 1-0. In the second inning, Shakeria Washington doubled and scored on a double by
Trinity Hatcher, extending West Alabama's lead to 2-0.
Christian Brothers responded in the third inning with a two-run homer by Marin Beeson and a solo homer by Katelyn Harmon, shifting the lead to 3-2 in their favor. In the fourth inning, the Bucs added another run, putting UWA in a 4-2 hole.
The Tigers regained momentum in the fifth inning, with Hatcher scoring on Stanbridge's second RBI-single of the day, followed by
Ella Watson's single that brought Shannon home. With the score now even at four,
Kayla Morris gave West Alabama a three-run lead as the freshman launched a three-run homer.
The sixth inning saw the Bucs narrow the gap with a solo home run by Beeson, making it a 7-5 game. In the seventh inning, Stanbridge doubled and later scored on a single by Morris, pushing the lead to 8-5. In the bottom of the inning, West Alabama was one out away from putting the game away until CBU's Mackenzie Gieseler tied the contest with a three-run Home Run.
The game went into extra innings, remaining scoreless in the eighth. The contest was suspended due to darkness before the ninth inning as play was picked up on Sunday.
On Sunday, In the ninth inning, Morris doubled and was driven in by a sac bunt from
La'taviona Parke. In the bottom half of the inning,
Eleanor De Block recorded the save, retiring Christian Brothers' side in order to solidify a 9-8 extra innings win for UWA.
Stanbridge recorded three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs while also scoring twice. Morris contributed significantly by collecting three hits, a Home Run, and four RBIs. Hatcher added a double and an RBI, scoring once in the game. Shannon scored two runs and managed a hit, while also drawing a walk.
GAME THREE: UWA 7, CBU 0
For the second time this series, UWA's Block blanked the Bucs in Game Three, registering another complete game shutout. In her 7.0 innings of work, the senior struck out five batters while only allowing three hits.
The Tigers immediately got on the board as Shannon opened the game with a leadoff single before eventually being brought home courtesy of a CBU error.
In the third inning,
Carolyn Cagle singled up the middle and later scored off an RBI-double from Stanbridge, increasing the lead to 2-0.
The fifth inning was pivotal for West Alabama as it serves as the inning where they broke the game open. Cagle, Stanbridge, and Watson all got on for UWA, loading the bases for Morris who hit a Grand Slam to left field to extend the Tigers' lead to six.
In the seventh inning, Morris walked and later scored on a double by Washington, making it a 7-0 game. In the bottom half, De Block made quick work of CBU's side as West Alabama cruised to a 7-0 victory.
Morris led the way with four RBIs, while Shannon collected three hits and added two stolen bases in the game. On the weekend, De Block recorded two complete game shutouts and a save, registering a pitching line of 15.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 14 SO.
West Alabama will return home next weekend for a three-game series against Valdosta State that's set to begin on Saturday.
