HUNTSVILLE | Two nationally-ranked teams went toe-to-toe at Charger Park on Saturday, with the No. 10 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team defeating No. 13 Valdosta State 7-4 in the series opener before falling 10-5 in the doubleheader nightcap. UAH is now 25-8 (11-3 Gulf South Conference), while VSU is 20-8 (7-6 GSC).
 
Next Time Out
-The two top-15 teams will meet in the rubber match of the three-game set on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. in the Rocket City.
 
UAH 7, Valdosta State 4
Game Changer
-Jada Hayes continued her torrid play of late, going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run while driving in four runs to help guide the Chargers to the series-opening victory.
 
Inside the Box Score
-The Chargers picked up 10 hits in the contest while holding Valdosta State to just six.
-In addition to the two for Hayes, both Ashley Cornell and Kiara Akles also had a pair of hits in the contest, and Cornell also crossed the plate twice.
-Shannon Long hit a solo home run, while Alaina Hampton also picked up an RBI.
-Akles earned the win in the circle for UAH, scattering six hits of 6.2 innings of work while striking out three and allowing four runs of which just three were earned.
-Sydnee Uhlman entered the game in the seventh and got the final out of the game to earn the save.
 
Key Plays
-Valdosta State got on the board first with a run in the top of the first, but the Chargers immediately answered as Shelby Booker and Cornell had back-to-back singles before Hayes doubled both in and later scored on an error to put UAH up 3-1 after one.
-A two-run homer for Valdosta State with two outs in the top of the third tied the affair at 3-3.
-Hayes then had another big swing of the bat in the bottom of the third as she homered to center with Cornell on base, and Hampton would drive in Mackenzie Nutt on a productive groundout later in the frame to give the Chargers a 6-3 lead.
-The next two innings saw both sides retired in order, carrying the game to the sixth in which during the top half, VSU got an unearned run across to pull within 6-4.
-The solo home run from Long came in the home half of the sixth to push UAH in front 7-4, and after Akles retired the first two batters in the seventh before issuing a walk, Uhlman came in and induced a fly out to center to end the contest.
 
Noteworthy
-Hayes now has 35 RBI on the season, and this marks the third time she has driven in at least four runs in a contest.
-The home run for Hayes is her fifth of the season which ranks second on the team.
-Akles moves to 5-1 in the circle, while Uhlman picks up her sixth save of the year.
 
Valdosta State 10, UAH 5
Game Changer
-The Blazers scored five times in the second inning to create an advantage that ultimately UAH would not be able to overcome.
 
Inside the Box Score
-VSU outhit the Chargers by a 12-8 margin.
-Akles had a pair of hits to go along with two walks, and she scored twice and drove in two runs.
-Long also had a pair of RBI as she hit a two-run homer.
-Booker swiped a pair of bags in the contest.
-The Chargers used four different pitchers with Layton Murphy taking the loss in the setback.
 
Key Plays
-VSU claimed a 5-0 lead after the second and tacked on another run in the third to make it 6-0, but Long's homer in the bottom of the fourth pulled UAH to within four at 6-2.
-The guests got one of those runs right back in the top of the fifth to go in front 7-2, but a two-run double from Akles and a run-scoring single from Eve Mallard in the home half of the inning made it just a two-run advantage for VSU at 7-5.
-A bases-loaded walk pushed in VSU's eighth run in the sixth before another pair crossed the plate to produce the eventual 10-5 final.
 
Noteworthy
-With the two on Saturday, Long now has a team-best eight home runs, and she has driven in 19 runs on the season.
-Booker is now a perfect 32-for-32 in stolen bases on the year.