UWA Wins A Pair To Close Out Crossover

DECATUR, Ala. — The University of West Alabama softball team closed out the 2008 Gulf South Conference Crossover with a pair of wins over GSC West foes Arkansas Tech and Ouachita Baptist.  The Tigers staved off the Golden Suns 3-2 in the morning game and ousted OBU 8-3 in the afternoon session.  UWA finished the weekend 3-3 at the GSC event.

In the opener, the Tigers (24-24, 4-13 GSC) got on the board first with a lead off home run by freshman Kassadie Jones to start the third inning.  The towering shot to left center was her second of the season.  UWA added to its lead in the top of the sixth with a two spot in the frame.  Freshman Kelli Hartley connected on her team-best 12^th home run of the season to open the inning.  Junior shortstop Courtney Gordon followed Hartley’s at-bat with a walk.  Gordon stole second and scored on Monica Rethwill’s RBI-single. 

Rethwill’s RBI proved to be the winning run as ATU got on the board in the sixth, scoring two runs and threatened for more.  With the bases full of Golden Suns, Rethwill went to the circle in relief of UWA starter Brittany McGee with just one out in the frame.  Rethwill forced a pop up to first base followed by an inning-ending strike out.  McGee picked her fourth win on the campaign after turning in 41/3 innings of work.  She finished with five strike outs and scattering four hits.  Rethwill notched her first save of the season.

In the OBU contest, UWA got off to fast start, scoring a run in the opening frame and exploded for a five-run third inning.  Junior Laura Bagwell led off the game with a single and scored off of Ashley Edgar’s double to the gap in right center.  The duo of Bagwell and Edgar did the same combo in the third frame.  The big hit of the frame was Angela Smith’s two-bagger, scoring Hartley and Valisha Fincher.  Smith was plated on a wild pitch from OBU’s Sara Hanson.  The Red and White added two more runs in the fourth off of Hartley’s second dinger of the day.  Bagwell and Edgar led all Tiger hitters with three hits followed by Hartley with two.

The Purple and Gold Tigers plated two runs in the third off a Kristen Rigsbee home run.  OBU added a run in the fifth off a UWA pass ball.  UWA starter Emily White picked up the win in the affair. 

 UWA continues road activity, traveling to Judson College on Wednesday, April 16, before jumping back in to GSC action next weekend at Valdosta State and West Florida.