HUNTSVILLE | The No. 14 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team earned another series victory and clinched a spot in the conference tournament on Saturday, defeating visiting Union 8-0 in six innings. The Chargers improve to 33-12 (17-7 Gulf South Conference), while UU slips to 25-20 (12-12 GSC).
 
Turning Point
-Despite battling an illness, Layton Murphy tossed a gem in the circle for the Chargers, going the distance in the shutout, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out five.
 
Inside the Box Score
-After recording just eight hits in the first two games of the series, the Chargers pounded out 10 in the series finale.
-Each of Shelby Booker, Amber Hammonds, and Taylor Wascavage had a pair of hits in the contest with both being doubles for Hammonds while Wascavage homered.
-Kiara Akles drove in three runs in the contest, with Ashley Cornell and Hammonds both knocking in a pair.
-UAH exhibited a patient and unselfish approach at the plate, drawing four walks and recording three sacrifice bunts to go along with a sacrifice fly.
 
Key Plays
-The patience and unselfishness directly led to UAH's first two runs as Cornell walked to lead off the first and then moved to second on a sac bunt by Booker, and after a productive ground out from Hammonds moved Cornell to third, Jada Hayes walked, allowing both to score when Akles singled to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead.
-After Murphy stranded a pair in the top of the second, Wascavage led off the second with a solo shot to left to push the UAH advantage out to 3-0.
-The Chargers then put together a four-run fourth with Cornell doubling in a pair, Hammonds driving in a run on a double of her own, and Akles hitting a sac fly to create a 7-0 margin.
-Hammonds then doubled again in the bottom of the sixth, creating the 8-0 final by driving in Booker who had singled earlier in the inning.
 
Noteworthy
-This will be UAH's 24th berth into the GSC tournament.
-Murphy picks up her ninth win of the season and now ranks second on the team with 44 strikeouts.
-Akles pushes her RBI total to 38 on the year.
-UAH ranks second in the league with 39 sacrifice bunts while leading the conference with 179 walks.
 
Next Time Out
-The Chargers will close out the regular season home slate next weekend with a three-game series against the nation's No. 1 team as West Florida visits. The Friday doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. start.