YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | The University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team climbed to No. 10 in the national poll on Wednesday and then swept aside host Young Harris with that new ranking, winning 7-5 in eight innings in the opening game before taking the nightcap 5-2. The Chargers improve to 24-7, while the Mountain Lions slip to 17-11.
 
Next Time Out
-The Chargers will now turn their attention to a pivotal weekend series at Charger Park with No. 13 Valdosta State. The two teams will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday followed by a single game on Sunday at the same time.
 
UAH 7, Young Harris 5 (8 inn.)
Game Changer
-After the Chargers saw a four-run lead evaporate on one swing of the bat in the home half of the seventh, UAH had an immediate answer in the top of the eighth as Jada Hayes doubled in the eventual game-winning run for her third RBI of the contest before Alaina Hampton walked with the bases loaded later in the frame to put UAH ahead 7-5.
 
Inside the Box Score
-UAH finished the game with seven hits compared to nine for Young Harris, and Hayes had three for the Chargers with Mackenzie Nutt recording a pair.
-Hayes doubled and homered in the contest.
-In addition to the three RBI for Hayes, Nutt and Alaina Hampton also drove in a run for the guests.
-UAH totaled six walks in the game with both Hampton and Reagan Malone taking a pair of free passes.
-Sydnee Uhlman struck out a pair in three innings in earning the win in the circle, while Layton Murphy tossed the final frame and struck out two to pick up a save.
 
Key Plays
-The scoring started for UAH when Hayes hit a two-run homer in the top of the first, and the score remained 2-0 until Young Harris cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the second.
-The Chargers regained the two-run advantage in the visiting half of the fourth when Nutt singled in Hayes to make it 3-1, and the guests picked up a pair of important insurance runs in the top of the seventh when a run scored on an error and when Alaina Hampton swiped home on a double steal.
-A grand slam for Young Harris in the bottom of the seventh, however, tied the contest at 5-5.
-In the top of the eighth with Shelby Booker placed at second, Ashley Cornell sacrificed herself to move Booker to third, allowing her to easily score when the next batter Hayes doubled to right, and after Amber Hammonds singled and Nutt walked, Hampton drew a walk to put UAH up 7-5.
-The Mountain Lions sacrifice bunted for the first out in the bottom half of the inning before Murphy struck out the next two to seal the contest.
 
Noteworthy
-Hayes has now totaled a team-high 31 RBI, and she is now tied for second on the team with four home runs.
-The save is the first of Murphy's career, and Uhlman moves to 8-1.
 
UAH 5, Young Harris 2
Game Changer
-With the game tied at 2-2 in the seventh, Cornell took a 2-2 pitch and drove it out of the park for a two-run, two-out home run to break the deadlock and propel UAH to the sweep.
 
Inside the Box Score
-YHC picked up eight hits in the game, while the Chargers had seven.
-Both Cornell and Hammonds had two hits in the game, and both drove in a pair of runs.
-The Chargers totaled three doubles in the game with Malone, Cornell, and Hammonds each recording one, while Hayes had a triple to go along with the Cornell homer to give UAH four hits for extra bases.
-Murphy tossed the first six innings, striking out five in earning the win, while Uhlman got the final three outs including inducing a double play on her second pitch of the appearance en route to registering a save.
 
Key Plays
-After both teams left a pair stranded in the first, the Chargers got on the board first with an error leading to Nutt crossing the plate, and UAH went up 2-0 in the third when Hammonds doubled in Booker.
-The Mountain Lions pushed across a run in the bottom of the third, but a big strikeout from Murphy with the bases loaded kept UAH temporarily ahead at 2-1.
-Young Harris then tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, and the score remained that way until the seventh.
-Malone doubled earlier in the inning prior to the Cornell home run, and after that put UAH ahead, Hayes tripled and then scored on a base hit from Hammonds to give UAH a 5-2 lead.
-Uhlman then entered the game with a runner on in the bottom half of the seventh, getting a 5-4-3 double play and a ground out to short to end the contest.
 
Noteworthy
-Cornell is tied for second on the team with four home runs, and she is also second on the team with 27 RBI.
-The triple for Hayes is her first of the season and the 10th of the year for UAH.
-Murphy moves to 7-3 on the season, while Uhlman tallies her fifth save.