Box Score HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – On a day that was shortened by afternoon rains, the University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team captured a 5-0 win over visiting No. 21 West Alabama before the nightcap was canceled due to the weather. The Chargers improve to 22-11 (13-4 Gulf South Conference) with the victory, and UWA slips to 20-11 (9-9 GSC).
UAH's pitching was strong in the contest, limiting West Alabama to just four hits, and the Tigers only advanced to second on three occasions while never making it any further.
Whitney Toler (10-1) earned the victory as she tossed four strong innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Coming on for her fifth save of the season was
Kimberly Jack who threw the final three innings. The freshman struck out three while walking none and also giving up just two hits.
Sarah Ray (12-4) was saddled with the loss for the visitors as she did not help her cause in a three-run second inning in which the Chargers did not record a base hit.
With the bases loaded,
Meagan Billingsley and
Mary Kelley were both hit by a Ray pitch while
Cortney McNett – who made an impressive defensive play in the top of the inning when she made a terrific diving catch behind home plate on a foul pop – drew a walk as each forced in a run to provide the Chargers with a 3-0 lead.
In the home half of the third,
Abby MacKay led the inning off with an infield single on a hard-hit ball to third, and she scored to make it 4-0 in favor of UAH when
Nicole Bobrowski hit her third triple of the season as she served the ball into the gap in left-center.
The Chargers tacked on their final run of the contest in the sixth when Kelley doubled and was knocked home later in the frame when
Kathryn Whitlock recorded a two-bagger of her own to create the eventual 5-0 final.
With the rain on the way, the teams took an abbreviated break between contests, but the showers began to fall too heavily in the bottom of the second with conditions making it difficult for the pitchers to have any control. The contest went into a delay and was ultimately called off due to the weather.
The Chargers will be off until Saturday, April 6, when Shorter – who is on top of the GSC standings but is not eligible for postseason play – visits Charger Park at 1 p.m.
