HUNTSVILLE | The 19th-ranked University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team earned a split with West Georgia in the home opener on Saturday, falling 2-0 in the day's first game before winning 5-2 in the nightcap. UAH moves to 12-5 (3-2 Gulf South Conference), while UWG goes to 7-7 (2-3 GSC).
 
Next Time Out
-The rubber match of the series will take place on Sunday when the two teams meet again at Charger Park. First pitch of the contest is slated for 1 p.m.
 
West Georgia 2, UAH 0 (Game 1)
 
Game Changer
-A pair of run-scoring doubles from the Wolves in the top of the sixth inning broke what had been a scoreless tie, lifting West Georgia to the series-opening win.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Kathryn Woody limited the Chargers to just two hits while picking up the complete game shutout in the circle, moving to 4-2 on the year while striking out four and walking three.
-Her counterpart for the home team was strong once again as Tyler Harrison surrendered just five hits and the two runs while striking out five, though she did walk four in the contest.
-The No. 1 and 9 spots in the lineup for UAH in Haley Thompson and Shannon Long produced the hits for the team, while Kaitlyn Bannister had two of the team's three walks with Caroline Burns registering the other.
 
Key Plays
-The Wolves threatened to open the scoring in the third as Marley Stowers doubled with Trinity Kirkland at first, and Kirkland would attempted to score on the play, but Thompson's throw from right was relayed perfectly by Brooke Miller to catcher Taylor Wascavage who applied the tag for the out.
-There would not be another hit by either side until the fifth when Long singled with two outs for UAH's first of the game.
-West Georgia then scored in the top half of the sixth by singling with two outs before the back-to-back doubles resulted in the pair of runs.
-UAH's biggest offensive threat came in the bottom half of the inning when Thompson singled to start the frame before moving to first on a walk from Bannister with one out, but the Wolves would then turn an inning-ending double play.
 
Noteworthy
-UAH had two double plays of its own in the contest, marking the first time this season that the Chargers have had more than one in a game.
-The team also had 12 assists in the contest which was the season high until the squad's strong defensive play continued in the second game when it registered 13 assists.
 
UAH 5, West Georgia 2 (Game 2)
 
Game Changer
-After the two teams had traded runs going from both the second to the third and from the fifth into the sixth, UAH scored three times in bottom half of the sixth to go up for good with an RBI double from Emily Glover proving to be the difference.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Glover had a game to remember as she was 2-for-3 with the double and a homer, and the senior also picked up the win in the circle by working around five hits in going the distance, allowing just one earned run, and striking out five while walking just two.
-The Chargers outhit the Wolves 7-5 in the contest with Glover's two-hit showing being matched by Bannister who also had a pair.
-In addition to the pair of extra-base hits from Glover, Jada Hayes and Thompson also had doubles in the game.
-Glover finished with the two RBI, while Thompson, Wascavage, and Hayes also drove in runs in the contest.
 
Key Plays
-It was a scoreless game until the bottom of the second when Glover hit it to left center with the ball hitting the top of the fence and bouncing over to make it 1-0, but the Wolves quickly answered with a leadoff solo shot from Kirkland to tie it at 1-1.
-The score remained that until the bottom of the fifth when with the bases loaded, a flyout to center off the bat of Thompson would plate Wascavage to put the Chargers ahead, but the lead was only temporary as UWG manufactured a run in the top of the sixth to level the affair once again.
-Bannister then led off the bottom half of the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emily Jewell, moved to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on Glover's double.
-UAH then tacked on insurance runs when Reagan Malone – pinch-running for Glover – scored on a Wascavage single and when Hayes doubled in Wascavage to make it 5-2.
-Glover then worked around a one-out walk in the top of the seventh to finish the contest.
 
Noteworthy
-Glover is now 7-1 on the season, and her season strikeout total is now a team-high 51.
-Bannister is now batting .547 on the season which is the highest mark for her since it was .688 after the first weekend of the year.
-Jewell earned her first starts of the season at short in the doubleheader, and she finished both games with four assists.