LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, helped the 11^th-ranked University of West Alabama baseball team rally to defeat William Carey 12-9 in midweek action at Tartt Field on Wednesday evening. UWA improves to 26-10 on the season.

Dallas Rogers broke the 9-9 deadlock with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Douglas Frazier. Nick Wheeler capped off the inning with a two-RBI, single to left field, plating Rob Dahlberg and Bryan Mason.

Josh Varner (7-2) picked up the win in relief. Varner allowed one run on one hit with three walks and three strikeouts in his 1 2/3 innings of work. Brian Burgess nailed down his seventh save of the season, throwing the final inning and striking all three WCU batters. The save is the 12^th of his career and ties him for fifth all-time at UWA.

UWA trailed from the onset of the contest as the Crusaders scored two runs in their first at-bat. The Tigers fought back and tied the contest in the bottom of the third inning. Dahlberg drove in the tying run on a single to left field that scored Jeremy Finney. The Crusaders answered with single spots in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-2 lead. UWA posted seven runs in the sixth inning to take its first lead of the game at 9-4. Rogers capped off the seven-run inning with a single to right field that plated Kyle Moore and Frazier.

WCU forced the third tie of the outing in the top of the seventh, answering the Tigers’ seven runs, with five runs. Steven Moore doubled to left center field, driving in three runs, to knot the contest at 9-9.

West Alabama continues the homestand, as the Tigers host Talladega College on Friday, Apr. 10. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. The three-game series concludes on Saturday, Apr. 11 with a single game against the Tornadoes. All three games can be heard on WZNJ 106.5-FM and at athletics.uwa.edu.