LIVINGSTON, Ala. — The University of West Alabama softball team travels to Fairfield on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Miles College, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
West Alabama (25-8-1, 16-5 GSC) enters the matchup following a weekend series win over Trevecca Nazarene. Miles (19-19, 10-6 SIAC) comes in after sweeping a three-game series against Kentucky State.
The Tigers and Golden Bears met earlier this season in Livingston, where UWA swept the doubleheader. West Alabama took Game One, 8-0, before winning the nightcap, 9-2. Eleanor De Block threw a no-hitter in the opener, while Megan Roe and Ann Marie Stanbridge combined to hold Miles to four hits and one earned run in Game Two. Offensively, Haley Shannon led the way with four hits from the leadoff spot.
With less than a month remaining in the regular season, the Tigers are looking to build momentum heading into postseason play. At 25-8-1, UWA has raised its team batting average to .291, its highest mark of the 2026 season. Pitching continues to be a strength, as the Tigers carry a 2.07 ERA.
At the plate, Shannon, Ella Watson, Ann Marie Stanbridge, Kayla Morris, and Trinity Brooks are all hitting above .300. Stanbridge led the Tigers this past weekend and enters Tuesday's doubleheader on a hot streak. The senior hit .700 with two home runs and five RBIs, boosting her season totals to a .317 average, three home runs, and 20 RBIs. Watson also remains a steady presence in the middle of the lineup, batting .400 with one home run and three RBIs against the Trojans. The sophomore leads UWA in both slugging percentage (.653) and OPS (1.101).
Outside of West Alabama's top hitters, Jessica Rose and Carolyn Cagle continue to improve at the plate. Rose is coming off her best offensive weekend of the season, posting a .556 batting average with four RBIs. Cagle hit .500, raising her average above the Mendoza Line.
In the circle, De Block and Roe are expected to start against the Golden Bears once again. Following this past weekend, De Block ranks fourth in the GSC in ERA (1.81), wins (14), and strikeouts (102). She also leads the conference in opponent batting average, holding hitters to just .160. Roe enters with an 8-0 record and a 2.68 ERA, while Stanbridge leads both the team and conference with a 1.47 ERA over 48.0 innings.
Miles enters the contest batting .300 as a team with a 5.53 ERA. Six Golden Bears hitters are batting .300 or better, led by Gabriela Garcia, who carries a .363 average with five home runs and 21 RBIs into Tuesday's matchup. The graduate student went 1-for-5 against West Alabama in the teams' previous meeting on February 18.
While Garcia provides power, Jada Odom, Andrea Harris, Kaylyn Cordero, Delaney Gray, and Daisy Bejarano offer consistent contact and the ability to create RBI opportunities.
In the circle, Gray serves as Miles' top pitcher. The junior leads the team with a 3.33 ERA and seven wins. She did not pitch in the earlier meeting against UWA but is likely to get the start on Tuesday.
First pitch for Tuesday's doubleheader between the Tigers and Golden Bears is set for 1:00 p.m. in Fairfield.
