HUNTSVILLE | Winning for the 14th time in the past 15 games, the No. 23 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team picked up a Saturday sweep of visiting No. 11 Valdosta State at Charger Park, winning 9-2 in the series opener before picking up a 3-1 victory in the nightcap. The Chargers improve to 31-10 (17-6 Gulf South Conference), while VSU drops to 28-12 (15-8 GSC).
 
UAH takes over sole possession of first place in the GSC with the two wins.
 
Next Time Out
-The two teams will wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
UAH 9, Valdosta State 2
 
Game Changer
-With the Chargers leading 3-1 in the fourth inning, UAH would bust the contest wide open with a six-run frame in the home half of the fifth as Tyler Harrison and Taylor Wascavage singled in runs before the inning was punctuated in a big way by Brooke Miller's grand slam that put the hosts up 9-1.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Wascavage helped the team outhit VSU by an 11-4 clip as she went 3-for-4 in the contest with a pair of runs scored and the RBI.
-Reagan Malone from the leadoff spot and Miller both picked up a pair of hits, and Malone joined Jada Hayes and Shannon Long in earning the rest of the team's RBI.
-Harrison picked up her 12th win of the season in the circle as she went the distance, working around the fourth hits while giving up the pair of runs, and she struck out nine while walking none.
 
Key Plays
-Valdosta State got on the board first, scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the second, but the home team would immediately have a response as Long and Malone drove in runs in the bottom of the second to put the Chargers up 2-1.
-In the third, Wascavage led the inning off with a base hit, advanced to second and again to third on a pair of wild pitches, and UAH then produced another two-out run as Hayes would single later in the frame to make it a 3-1 game.
-The Chargers proceeded to send 11 batters to the plate in the aforementioned six-run fourth with the first five batters reaching before an out was recorded, and though VSU would score in the fifth, Harrison would retire nine straight to ensure the 9-2 final.
 
Noteworthy
-Harrison notches her 18th appearance without a walk, and Saturday's showing is her sixth with at least nine strikeouts on the year.
-The home run for Miller is her fifth of the season, and she would finish the day with 31 RBI which is second on the team.
 
UAH 3, Valdosta State 1
 
Game Changer
-Emily Glover set down the first 12 Valdosta State batters she faced, moving to 14-3 on the season with a three-hit outing while striking out five and walking none and allowing just the one run.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Wascavage was again strong from the middle of the lineup as she was 2-for-3 with a run, picking up a third of UAH's six hits in the contest.
-Kaitlyn Bannister, Malone, Miller, and Long picked up the other four hits for UAH.
-The team recorded three sacrifices in the game with Cornell adding a sac bunt, while Erin Jewell had both a sac bunt and a sac fly.
 
Key Plays
-The Chargers plated all three of their runs in the home half of the third which was started by a Malone walk followed by a one-out single from Bannister, and UAH then loaded the bases with one of Wascavage's two hits.
-Jewell then hit her sac fly to center before Miller singled to center to drive in a run, and the hosts went up 3-0 when Wascavage scored as Hayes reached on an error.
-VSU scored a run in the top of the fifth, and would threaten with a pair of runners in the seventh but Glover would pick up her fifth strikeout for the last out of the ballgame.
 
Noteworthy
-Wascavage now has five hits in her last 10 at-bats, and her season batting average is up to .349 which is the best it has been since March 11.
-After totaling four last weekend against North Alabama and another pair today, Cornell owns a team-best 12 sacrifice bunts on the season.