PHOTOS
HUNTSVILLE | The second-ranked University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team split with visiting West Florida on Friday evening, dropping a 9-7 decision in 11 innings before turning around to run-rule the Argos 11-3 in five innings in the nightcap. UAH moves to 18-4 (7-4 Gulf South Conference), while UWF goes to 19-13 (8-5 GSC).

In the two contests, UAH stole bases at will, picking up 15 steals to total 95 on the season. Mallory McNeal picked up three of the team's steals in the second game, while Victoria Frith and Haley Thompson both registered three in the two games combined.

The teams will play the rubber match of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Charger Park.

In the nightcap, it was a six-run fourth inning that propelled the Chargers to the big victory as the team sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame, blowing up a game that was just a 5-3 advantage for the hosts to that point.

Mary Kelley had one of her three hits of the contest in the frame as she roped a double down the right field line to drive in Macie Couey who had singled in a run earlier in the inning.

Kelley led the team with the three hits, while Frith, Tyler Harrison and Brianna Sullivan all recorded two hits in the contest as UAH outhit West Florida by a 12-6 margin. Harrison drove in a pair of runs in the game, a performance that was matched by Kaitlyn Bannister who opened the scoring in the game with a two-RBI single up the middle in the first.

Emily Glover (6-1) picked up the win in the circle as she scattered five hits over three innings, and Taylor Doriety picked up her first save as she entered the game in the fourth and gave up just one hit in her two innings of work.

In the first game of the night, the two teams combined for 25 hits in the 11-inning marathon as West Florida outhit the hosts 14-11, including three hits in a three-run top of the 11th that proved to be the deciding inning.

With the score 9-6 after that frame, UAH pushed across a run on a Sullivan RBI single and then threatened by having two runners on with just one out, but Taylor Bailey (10-5) picked up the last two outs to finish the complete game victory.

Couey was strong in the contest as she was 4-for-6 at the plate, and Kelley drove in three runs with three straight sacrifice flies in her first three at-bats of the contest. Frith and Bannister both picked up a pair of hits each in the setback.

Kimberly Jack (2-1) took the loss as she tossed the final six innings in relief of starter Whitney Toler.