LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Softball team is set to begin the NCAA Tournament on Thursday with a matchup against No. 6 Montevallo at 3:30 p.m. at the UWF Softball Complex.

No. 3 West Alabama (43-12-1) enters the Tournament red hot, coming off a GSC Tournament Championship. As for Montevallo (39-16), they went 0-2 in the GSC Tournament, taking losses to Mississippi College and West Florida.

The Tigers and Falcons met earlier this season in Livingston where Montevallo took the series. All three games were extremely tight with the Falcons registering a 0.33 scoring margin in the series. That regular season series between UWA and UM was two months ago and a lot has changed since then, with the two teams coming into the National Tournament trending in opposite directions.

For West Alabama, along with winning the GSC Championship, they've won 15 of their last 17 games. As for Montevallo, they've lost nine of their last 11 games, with their lone wins coming against Union and AUM. 

Pitching and power at the plate has been the calling card for the Tigers this season, and they've taken those two attributes to another level here lately. 

In the circle, Eleanor De Block is in the conversation for being one of the best pitchers in the country.  De Block ranks within the top-15 in the nation in ERA, Opposing Batting Average, Wins, and Shutouts. The senior is the leader of a UWA staff that holds a 2.10 Team ERA which is the 16th best mark in Division II. Individually, De Block brings a pitching line of 24-9, 1.51 ERA, 167 SO, 1.00 WHIP, and 11 Complete Game Shutouts into the NCAA Tournament. In her last 11 appearances, De Block is 9-1 with a 0.73 ERA in 76.0 innings of work.

Megan Roe is as good of a No. 2 that you'll find in the country. Roe is 16-2 with a 2.55 ERA on the year. In the GSC Tournament, the senior was lights out, recording a 2-0 record along with a 1.16 ERA and served as the winning pitcher in the GSC Title game against Trevecca.

Offensively, West Alabama brings a mix of power and small ball. The Tigers have hit 62 home runs this season which is the ninth most in the country. Nearly every batter in UWA's lineup can take you deep as five players in their order carry double digit home runs in their ledger. Arguably the best bat in the Tigers' lineup is Ann Marie Stanbridge. Stanbridge is hitting .327 along with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs on the year. ShaKeria Washington is the GSC Tournament MOP after hitting .571 with two home runs and five RBIs in UWA's four games. Ella Watson, Kayla Morris, and Trinity Hatcher are also dangerous bats in the Tigers' order while Haley Shannon holds the leadoff spot and leads the team with a .335 batting average.

The Montevallo Falcons were blazing through their 2026 schedule until they hit the middle of April. The Falcons have won a total of four games over the last month, with their offense being the main cause of concern. Since April 17, Montevallo is batting .185 as a team after tearing the cover off the ball through the first three months of the year. 

Even though they've struggled recently, the Falcons possess a talented roster. True freshman Taylor Rodgers leads the way offensively as she carries a team-high .358 batting average along with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. Becca Benton is impressive as well as she ranks third in the GSC with 12 home runs while hitting .325 and driving in 43 runs. Bentley Stiner is Montevallo's RBI leader as she's driven in 45 runs this season while accumulating a .286 batting average and eight home runs. 

In the circle, Montevallo has been consistently great. Taylor Lloyd leads a Falcons' pitching staff that has recorded a 2.12 team ERA to this point. Lloyd, a First Team All-GSC selection, is 23-8 on the year along with a team-best 1.96 ERA. Kinsley Byrd is Montevallo's Game Two starter. Byrd comes into the tournament with a 10-6 record with a 2.56 ERA. The Falcons have a stellar bullpen as well, with Mya Young and Berkley Mooney combining for a 1.88 ERA in 63.0 combined innings.

Thursday's matchup between No. 3 West Alabama and No. 6 Montevallo is primed to be a good one as the Tigers seek revenge and advance in the winner's bracket.

First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m. CST from the UWF Softball Complex in Pensacola, FL.