KatieEakesGSCTourney
2
West Florida UWF 30-20
3
Winner North Alabama UNA 45-5
West Florida UWF
30-20
2
Final
3
North Alabama UNA
45-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
West Florida UWF 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0
North Alabama UNA 0 1 0 0 0 2 X 3 5 1

W: Garst, Megan (23-2) L: Sarah Maloney (10-6)

Next Game:

Saint Leo

5/11/2018 | 2 PM

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Full Schedule
May. 11 (Fri) / 2 PM
 Saint Leo
History

Game Recap: Softball |

LION SOFTBALL RALLIES PAST UWF IN NCAA OPENER

FLORENCE – North Alabama scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 3-2 win over West Florida Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Division II South 2 Region Softball Tournament. The Lions will face Saint Leo Friday at 2 p.m. in the winner's bracket of the four-team double-elimination event at the UNA Softball Complex.
 
An RBI-double by Katie Eakes pushed the go-ahead run across the plate. Megan Garst then pitched a scoreless fame in the top of the seventh inning as the fourth-ranked Lions improved to 45-4 on the year.
 
"One of the things I love about this team is that the players are always so focused and even keel," said UNA head softball coach Ashley Cozart. "You look in the dugout and we could be ahead or behind by 10 runs. It doesn't matter to them. They always play with the same high level of intensity."
 
UNA trailed throughout the game after West Florida scored two runs in the top of the first inning. A solo home run by Hannah Shollenberger in the bottom of the second cut the lead to 2-1 before the Lions got three of their five hits in the bottom of the sixth. Kara Brewer led off the inning with a single and reached third before single by Reagan Tittle tied the game and set the stage for Eakes' big hit.
 
With two outs and Tittle and first base, the sophomore from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., hit the first pitch off the wall in left field to drive in the run and give the Lions the lead.
 
West Florida out-hit the Lions 6-5, with Sarah Maloney (10-6) taking the loss in the circle. Five different UNA players had one hit each.
 
Laken Distefano started and pitched the first 5.1 innings for North Alabama. She scattered five hits and struck out one. Only the first UWF run was earned after the Argonauts scored on an error to extend their lead to 2-0 in the top of the first.
 
Garst (23-2) entered with one out and a runner on first in the top of the sixth. She struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning, then struck out two more in the seventh. UWF singled to put the tying run on base. Catcher Mackenzie Roberts, however, threw out an attempted steal at second to end the game.
 
"I'm really proud of Laken," Cozart added. "That was a tough situation for a freshman to start a game in the NCAA tournament. She handled herself until our bats came through. Kara, Reagan and Katie all came through with big hits when we needed them."
 
The UNA-Saint Leo game will be the first of three contests on Friday. The winner will advance to Saturday's championship while the loser most play again later in the day. West Florida and Embry-Riddle will play Friday at 4:30 in an elimination game. The winner advances to play the loser of the UNA-Saint Leo contest at 7 p.m.
 

 
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Players Mentioned

Katie Eakes

#26 Katie Eakes

1B
5' 6"
Sophomore
L-L
Mackenzie Roberts

#25 Mackenzie Roberts

C/UT
5' 7"
Junior
R-R
Hannah Shollenberger

#24 Hannah Shollenberger

UT
5' 7"
Sophomore
R-R
Reagan Tittle

#22 Reagan Tittle

SS
5' 7"
Senior
R-R
Megan Garst

#3 Megan Garst

P
5' 6"
Sophomore
R-R
Laken Distefano

#0 Laken Distefano

P
5' 9"
Freshman
R-R
Kara Brewer

#9 Kara Brewer

OF
5' 6"
Senior
L-L

Players Mentioned

Katie Eakes

#26 Katie Eakes

5' 6"
Sophomore
L-L
1B
Mackenzie Roberts

#25 Mackenzie Roberts

5' 7"
Junior
R-R
C/UT
Hannah Shollenberger

#24 Hannah Shollenberger

5' 7"
Sophomore
R-R
UT
Reagan Tittle

#22 Reagan Tittle

5' 7"
Senior
R-R
SS
Megan Garst

#3 Megan Garst

5' 6"
Sophomore
R-R
P
Laken Distefano

#0 Laken Distefano

5' 9"
Freshman
R-R
P
Kara Brewer

#9 Kara Brewer

5' 6"
Senior
L-L
OF