PENSACOLA, Fla. — The University of West Alabama Softball team advanced in the Winner's Bracket of the NCAA South Regional with a 7-5 win over No. 6 Montevallo on Thursday.
One of the top power hitting teams in the country, UWA (44-12-1) flexed their muscle again with three home runs on the day, including two from Trinity Hatcher to power themselves over Montevallo (39-17).
The Tigers struck early as Haley Shannon and Ann Marie Stanbridge got on, setting the stage for ShaKeria Washington. The GSC Tournament MOP continues to swing a hot bat as Washington launched a three-run homer over the left field fence to propel West Alabama to a 3-0 lead.
After shutout innings from De Block through the first three innings, the Tigers added onto their lead in the bottom of the third. Trinity Hatcher extended West Alabama's lead with a two-run homer, putting UWA ahead, 5-0.
The Falcons responded in the fourth inning, narrowing the gap with four runs, highlighted by a three-RBI triple from Taylor Rogers. After Montevallo's offensive outburst in the fourth, West Alabama still led 5-4.
The Tigers regained momentum in the fifth inning, as Hatcher hit another two-run homer, giving West Alabama a 7-4 advantage.
Montevallo added one more run in the seventh inning, but De Block was able to slam the door on the Falcons in the seventh to secure a 7-5 victory for the Tigers.
Hatcher and Washington led the way offensively as the duo combined for all of UWA's runs while blasting three home runs. In the leadoff spot, Shannon and Stanbridge each recorded hits, setting the table for the middle of the order. In the circle, De Block pitched a complete game, tallying six strikeouts over seven innings.
No. 3 West Alabama will play No. 7 UAH in the next round, with the winner advancing to the South Region two finals.
