GULF SHORES, Ala. | The University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team turned in a successful weekend at the Gulf Coast Invitational, going 5-1 to start the year after falling to No. 23 Saint Leo 9-1 in six innings and then rebounding with a 6-4 victory over No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
Next Time Out
-UAH will now return to the Rocket City as it hosts the 2018 Charger Chillout at the Huntsville Sportsplex. Play for the Chargers begins on Friday at noon against Kentucky Wesleyan.
 
Saint Leo 9, UAH 1
Game Changer
-The Lions scored five times in the second inning including three unearned runs to take a commanding lead in the contest.
 
Inside the Box Score
-The Lions outhit UAH by a 13-3 margin in the contest as Shelby Booker, Kiara Akles, and Ashley Cornell had the hits for the Blue and White.
-Layton Murphy picked up the loss in the circle, allowing nine hits in three innings of work while giving up six runs of which only three were earned, and she also struck out three.
-Finishing the game in relief was Jada Hayes who also struck out three while allowing four hits and three runs.
 
Key Plays
-After a scoreless first, Saint Leo took advantage of a fielding miscue to score five times, and after the Chargers got one run back with a run-scoring single from Booker in the third, the Lions scored one in the third, one in the fourth, and two in the sixth to wrap up the game.
 
Noteworthy
-Hayes registers her first career pitching appearance.
 
UAH 6, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
Game Changer
­-Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth, the Chargers would score five runs on four hits while also taking advantage of two L-R errors to take the lead for the first time in the game.
 
Inside the Box Score
-The Chargers outhit Lenoir-Rhyne 10-7 on the day with Akles picking up three and Booker adding a pair.
-UAH also showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks with both Reagan Malone and Alaina Hampton logging two in the game.
-Murphy bounced back from the day's first game, earning the win in the circle as she went the distance, scattered seven hits, and allowed four unearned runs while striking out three.
 
Key Plays
-Lenoir-Rhyne scored a run in the first and added another pair in the third to take a 3-0 lead, and the score remained that way until the fourth when Booker singled to first to drive in Hayes and make it 3-1.
-Booker then sparked the big sixth that came with some small ball when she reached on a bunt single, stole second, and advanced to third on another bunt by Malone.
-Giving UAH three straight bunt singles to start the inning, Shannon Long singled to first on a play that also saw Booker score to pull UAH within one at 3-2.
-Two walks followed including a bases-loaded one by Hampton to score Malone and tie the game, and the Chargers took the lead when Akles singled to the pitcher, scoring Amber Hammonds with Hampton also scoring on an error.
-Another error then allowed Hayes to score to complete the five-run inning.
-L-R then pushed across a fourth run in the top of the seventh before Murphy induced a liner to end the game.
 
Noteworthy
-The Chargers push their walk total on the year to 28 which increases their on-base percentage to .422.
-Murphy is now 4-1 on the season in the circle.
-With four steals in the game, UAH is now 11-for-14 on the season in stolen base attempts with eight different players having swiped a bag.