BOX SCORE - GAME 1 |
BOX SCORE - GAME 2
FLORENCE
– The University of North
Alabama softball team opened Gulf South
Conference play on Saturday by splitting a
double-header against visiting West Alabama
at the UNA Softball Complex. The Lions took
the first game 8-1 before falling 11-5 in
the nightcap to open GSC play with a 1-1
record.
With the
split, UNA is 12-14 on the year. West
Alabama falls to 18-6 overall with a 1-1
mark in GSC play.
In the first
game, Jennifer Sexton (7-7) tossed a
one-hitter and struck out nine batters to
earn the win on the mound for UNA. The
senior yielded only one walk and did not
allow an earned run in seven innings of
work.
At the plate,
the Lions picked up 11 hits and handed UWA
starter Katie Ford (13-1) her first loss of
the season. Andrea Palmer was 3-for-4,
including a two-run home run in the fourth
inning. Bree Ball and Cassandra McKinney
also each went 2-for-3 and combined for
three RBI for UNA.
North Alabama
failed to take advantage of base runners in
both games, stranding 23 on the day. The
problem came back to haunt the team more in
the second game as the Lions left 14 on
base.
After the
Tigers took a 4-0 lead in the top of the
second, UNA responded with three in the
bottom of the inning and two in the third to
take a 5-4 lead. The Lions, however, would
not score again while UWA pushed seven more
runs across the plate.
For the game,
UNA had five hits and drew 12 walks and a
hit batter. West Alabama used three pitchers
and held the Lions to only five runs for the
game. Hannah Griffin (1-0) recorded the
pitching victory.
Emily Barnes
led the way for the Lions at the plate in
the second contest. The junior from Iuka,
Miss., went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI.
Laurin Watts
took the loss on the mound. She allowed
seven runs off six hits in five innings.
Sexton returned to toss the final two
innings for UNA, but allowed four runs off
six hits in two innings.
North Alabama
will be back in action on Tuesday with a
home double-header against Kentucky State.
First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the UNA
Softball Complex at Cox Creek Park.
