HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville baseball team fell on Sunday by a final score of 15-8 to visiting West Alabama in the final game of a three-game GSC series at Charger Park to cap off the 2016 regular season slate. UAH slips to 31-18 (21-12 GSC), while UWA improves to 35-13 (23-10 GSC).

The Chargers jumped on the board quickly in the series finale as redshirt sophomore AJ Walden notched his 13th homer of the season in the bottom of the first – a three-run shot – to give UAH the early 3-0 advantage after UAH starting pitcher Heath McRae worked a scoreless top of the first.

The hosts were able to add to their lead with two more runs in the second to make it 5-0 Chargers, with Ben Rhodes and Matt Spruill each posting RBI singles in the frame.

West Alabama chipped into the Chargers lead with two runs in the third, prior to overtaking the advantage with a four-run rally in the fourth to make it a 6-5 lead for the visitors. The Tigers went on to add two runs apiece in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, extending the advantage to 12-5.

UAH was able to slim the West Alabama advantage to 12-8 with a trio of runs in the bottom of the seventh, with Zach Dugas and Trey Mathis each collecting a RBI in the rally. However, UWA's offense continued to power through with one run in the eighth and two more in the ninth en route to the 15-8 victory.

McRae was tagged with the loss on Sunday after tossing 3.0 innings with six runs allowed, three walks and two strikeouts, which drops his season record to 6-4.

Rhodes and Spruill led the way for UAH at the plate going 3-for-4 with two runs scored apiece, while Walden ended the game with a 2-for-5 performance with two runs and three RBI.

UAH looks ahead to the 2016 Gulf South Conference tournament next weekend as the No. 5 seed, which will be held in Pensacola, Florida on the campus of first-seeded West Florida from May 7-10. The Chargers first game in the tournament will be on Saturday against the yet-to-be-decided No. 2 seed.