HUNTSVILLE | A battle of nationally-ranked teams saw a Saturday split as the No. 18 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team picked up a 9-7 win in the nightcap over fifth-ranked North Alabama to bounce back from an eight-inning 6-4 setback in the opener. The Chargers move to 34-13 (22-9 Gulf South Conference), while the Lions go to 41-5 (28-3 GSC).
 
Next Time Out
-The two teams will play in the rubber match on Sunday with the first pitch of the regular season finale for both teams coming at 1 p.m.
 
North Alabama 6, UAH 4
Game Changer
-After the Chargers tied it up with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, ultimately forcing extra innings, Reagan Tittle hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth to push UNA to the victory.
 
Inside the Box Score
-North Alabama outhit the Chargers by an 8-6 margin in contest with Brooke Miller accounting for two of UAH's hit including a solo home run.
-Shelby Booker and Ashley Cornell also drove in a run for UAH, while Taylor Wascavage, Alaina Hampton, and Ashley Cornell all crossed the plate.
-Kiara Akles started for the Chargers in the circle, going 4.2 innings and scattering five hits while permitting just one earned run and striking out four before giving way to Jada Hayes who took the setback.
 
Key Plays
-UNA struck first in the top of the third and then added onto its lead with three unearned runs in the top of the fifth, all while Megan Garst did not permit UAH to record a hit to that point.
-Miller, however, made UAH's first hit a loud one as she homered to right center on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the home half of the fifth, and that would spark what proved to be a four-run inning as Cornell and Booker both drove in runs with another scoring on an error to knot the contest at 4-4.
-UAH would leave a runner on in the bottom of the sixth and UNA would strand a pair in the top of the seventh, ultimately forcing the eighth frame in which Tittle hit the homer before the hosts were retired in order in the bottom half to end the contest.
 
Noteworthy
-Booker's RBI gives her 30 for the season, and the Chargers now have seven players with at least 30 on the year after having just two a season ago.
 
UAH 9, North Alabama 7
Game Changer
-A two-run home run for Alaina Hampton in the bottom of the fifth inning put the Chargers back in front at 8-7 to immediately undo what UNA had done in the top half of the frame as the Lions had scored five times to take a lead that proved to be short-lived.
 
Inside the Box Score
-North Alabama picked up nine hits in the game, while the Chargers recorded seven of which each came from a different player.
-The hosts belted three home runs in the game with Akles hitting a three-run bomb, Hampton hitting the two-run shot, and Miller adding a solo homer, and Reagan Malone and Amber Hammonds both doubled to give five hits for extra bases.
-UAH also drew five walks in the game with both Akles and Shannon Long earning a pair of free passes.
-Akles and Wascavage both scored twice.
-Layton Murphy earned the win in the circle, striking out two and allowing just one earned run.
 
Key Plays
-UNA went ahead first, scoring on an error in the top of the second, but Miller had a game-tying home run in the bottom of the second before Long singled in a run and Cornell drove in another on a sac fly to put the Chargers ahead 3-1.
-Though UNA would score an unearned run in the third, a double play got the hosts out of the inning, and Akles would hit a no-doubter to left with two outs to give the Chargers a 6-2 lead.
-The UAH defense would turn another double play in the top of the fourth, and though the Chargers would threaten to tack onto the lead in the home half by loading the bases, UNA was able to strand the UAH runners on to keep the score where it was.
-The Lions then scored five times in the fifth to go in front 7-6, but the Chargers were not deterred as Hampton's two-run, two-out homer put the team back in front, and an error later in the inning gave UAH an insurance run while making the margin 9-7.
-Murphy then retired UNA in order in the sixth and worked around a pair of one-out singles in the seventh to seal the contest.
 
Noteworthy
-Murphy picks up her 17th win of the season in the circle.
-The home run is 13th of the season for the freshman Hampton who now has 48 RBI, while Akles has 11 home runs with 42 RBI.
-UAH has walked 174 times on the year.