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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Playing perhaps its most pivotal weekend set of games thus far this season, the University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team will place its position at the top of the Gulf South Conference on the line as it travels to West Florida and No. 4 Valdosta State on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
 
The Chargers enter the weekend at 28-11 (17-4 GSC) as the squad has won nine straight while posting a mark of 21-4 since the start of March.
 
When the two teams visited Huntsville earlier in the season, UAH won three of the four contests as the Blue and White swept UWF and split with the Blazers. Abby MacKay drove in six runs in the pair of games against the Argos, while the duo of Whitney Gilbert and Kimberly Jack combined in the circle to shutout the defending national champions.
 
The team will look to match that shutout performance and continue its pitching success the squad has enjoyed of late as UAH has given up just over a run per game during the current winning streak.
 
Jack has continued to lower her ERA, maintaining her position on top of the GSC with a mark of 1.42 on the season, and she ranks third in the conference with 11 wins while sitting in first with five saves.
 
West Florida is 13-19 overall on the season, and the Argos have particularly struggled in conference play as the team owns a 6-12 mark in the GSC.
 
The squad – which has lost three straight entering the contest – is led offensively by Caroline Kaston who is hitting at an impressive .403 clip. The pitching staff has the third-best ERA in the league at 2.81 and is paced by Taylor Bailey who has struck out 73 batters while registering a sub-2.00 ERA at 1.95.
 
With a 28-8 mark and a 13-6 record in conference play, the Blazers have won three consecutive games since being swept in a road series at North Alabama at the end of March.
 
Brianna Hancock enters the weekend as the reigning GSC Pitcher of the Week, and she has recorded 83 strikeouts on the season and owns a 2.90 ERA. At the plate, Courtney Albritton is hitting a strong .430 including 12 doubles and 15 homers, while Shelby Altman leads the team with 39 RBI.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Chargers on Facebook (facebook.com/uahchargers) and on Twitter (@uahchargers), and supporters of the Blue and White may sign up for text and e-mail updates at uahchargers.com.