SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – After a heartbreaking 4-1 loss to North Alabama in the opening round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Friday, the West Florida softball team recovered to defeat Christian Brothers 7-0 in an elimination game to advance to the tournament’s second game. UWF will face Delta State in another elimination game on Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
GAME 1: North Alabama 4, West Florida 1
Junior Sara Scott (Tallahassee, Fla./Tallahassee CC) pitched well for UWF in the opening round game against North Alabama, taking a shutout into the seventh inning. Four unearned runs in the seventh were the difference, as UNA escaped with the win. Scott (11-9) took the loss, while the Lions’ Haley Barnette (8-13) picked up the win.
Scott and Barnette put up zeros for both teams through five innings, and Scott got some help defensively to keep the Lions off the scoreboard. Left fielder Kaley Kania (Pensacola, Fla./Tate HS) robbed Kathryn Young of a home run in the second inning, and right fielder Ashliegh McLean (McKinney, Texas/McLennan CC) made a highlight reel catch in the fourth inning.
With the score still tied 0-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Scott blasted a solo home run to center field to put the Argos on top. With a runner on and two out in the top of the seventh, Scott faced pinch hitter Lindsay Bobrowski. After working the count full, Bobrowski took a close pitch and drew a walk, extending the inning. An infield single loaded the bases, and the Lions then tied the game on an Argonaut fielding error. Three more runs came in on a double by the next batter, and the three run deficit was too much for the Argos to overcome in the bottom of the seventh.
GAME 2: West Florida 7, Christian Brothers 0
The Argos came out swinging against Christian Brothers in the elimination game, scoring three in the first, two in the second and one in the sixth and seventh innings. Scott had another good game at the plate, hitting 3-4 with two RBIs. The Argos also had multi-hit games by senior catcher Tiffany Duncan (Oneonta, Ala./Jefferson Davis CC), Kania and McLean.
McLean (8-5) pitched a complete game shutout for the Argos, scattering seven hits while striking out six and walking two. Amanda Wade (1-7) was credited with the loss for CBU, allowing five runs in just two innings.
The Argonauts will face Delta State in an elimination game Saturday morning at 11 a.m. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.