FLORENCE, Ala.
-- A five-run seventh inning helped North
Alabama win the opener 7-6 but West Alabama
rallied for a 5-0 victory in the nightcap of
the Gulf South Conference double-header at
University Field.
With the split,
North Alabama is now 30-18-1 overall and 6-8
in the GSC. West Alabama is 33-14 and 10-4.
With the opener
tied 1-1 in the sixth inning, UNA exploded
for five runs with RBI singles from Andrew
Knerr and Josh Phillips, an RBI ground-out
from Daniel Johnson and a two-run single
from Trey Pollard.
But UNA starter
Jeff Schafer ran into trouble in the eighth
and reliever Nick Newberry surrendered a
three- run homer as the Tigers quickly
closed the gap to 6-5. UNA got a run back in
the bottom of the eighth and West Alabama
got a run in the ninth but UNA held on for
the win.
Schafer (8-3)
got the win, allowing six hits and three
runs over 7 1/3 innings. Newberry got his
fourth save of the season, allowing three
runs on two hits over 1 2/3 innings. Knerr
led UNA at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two
runs scored and an RBI.
In the second
game, West Alabama's Brandon Wheeler pitched
a three-hitter in the complete-game shutout
win. UNA's Richard Brindle carried a
two-hitter into the seventh inning and the
Tigers lone run had come off two errors in
the sixth. But West Alabama added four tuns
off Brindle in the seventh and finished with
six hits.
Phillips,
Pollard and Matt Horton had one hit each for
UNA.
The two schools
meet again Sunday in the final game of the
series at 1 p.m.
Printable Game
Statistics - Game 48 - West Alabama
Printable Game
Statistics - Game 49 - West Alabama
