FLORENCE, Ala. | The No. 17 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team fell to second-seeded Valdosta State by a score of 8-5 on Friday evening on day two of the 2018 Gulf South Conference Championships at the UNA Softball Complex. The third-seeded Chargers dip to 35-15, while VSU rises to 41-11.
 
UAH now looks ahead to an elimination matchup against eighth-seeded Lee at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, as the league shifted game times due to expected inclement weather tomorrow morning.
 
Valdosta State took the early lead on a two-run homer by Brandy Morgan in the top of the first, but UAH rebounded quickly in the bottom half of the frame as Kiara Akles connected on a three-run homer – her 12th round-tripper of the season – to put the Chargers back ahead 3-2.
 
Following scoreless frames by both sides in the second and third, VSU put two runs on the board in the fourth which were followed by three runs in the fifth to take a 7-2 advantage.
 
UAH scored one run apiece in the fifth and sixth on a solo homer by Amber Hammonds and an RBI single by Taylor Wascavage, respectively, to slim the deficit to two runs.
 
Valdosta State held off the Chargers comeback attempt with an insurance run in the top of the seventh on the way to the 8-5 win on day two of the GSC tournament.
 
The Chargers totaled eight hits in the contest, led by Hammonds who went 2-for-4 at the dish with a solo homer to give her a run and RBI as well, while Akles posted a team-high three RBI thanks to her home run.
 
A total of seven Chargers recorded at least one hit on Friday, with five of those players also scoring a run.
 
UAH starting pitcher Layton Murphy took the loss to drop her season record to 17-9 after allowing three runs with two strikeouts. Jada Hayes provided 4.0 innings of relief with two earned runs allowed.