HUNTSVILLE | The No. 18 University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team celebrated its seniors in fine fashion on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader from the top-ranked team in the country as the Chargers won 10-2 and 6-1 over West Florida with both wins coming in six innings. UAH improves to 35-12 (19-7 Gulf South Conference), while the Argonauts slip to 39-7 (22-4 GSC).
 
Next Time Out
-The Chargers will close out the regular season next weekend at in-state foe Montevallo. The three-game set starts with a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
 
UAH 10, West Florida 2
Turning Point
-Mackenzie Nutt put the Chargers up for good in the fourth when she doubled in Taylor Wascavage to put the home team ahead 3-2, and the team busted the game wide open with a four-run fifth inning.
 
Inside the Box Score
-The Chargers outhit the Argos by a wide 12-4 margin, with the senior Wascavage leading the way with a 3-for-4 showing that included an RBI and three runs.
-Fellow senior Amber Hammonds had a double and a homer to drive in a pair, while Kiara Akles also had two hits including a homer while driving in a team-high three runs.
-Each of Alaina Hampton, Nutt, Shannon Long, and Jada Hayes also recorded an RBI in the game.
-The Chargers also collected five walks with Hampton's pair leading the team.
-Akles also went the distance in the circle, allowing just four hits and the two runs while striking out three.
 
Key Plays
-The scoring started in the bottom of the first when Hayes had a sacrifice fly that scored Ashley Cornell, and the game remained 1-0 in favor of the hosts until the top of the third when the Argos pushed a run across to tie it at 1-1.
-UAH immediately answered when Hammonds hit a no-doubter to center in the bottom of the third, but the guests responded in the top of the fourth, leveling the game at 2-2.
-In the home half of the inning, Wascavage singled with one out, allowing her to score two batters later when Nutt doubled into left-center to put the Chargers ahead 3-2, and Akles would put a zero up on the board in a top half of the fifth that included Hampton throwing out a would-be base stealer at second.
-UAH then totaled five hits and a couple of walks in the bottom of the fifth to score four times with Hammonds doubling in a run, Akles hitting a two-run homer, and Long driving in another to put the Chargers up 7-2.
-The hosts then ended the game early when Akles, Wascavage, and Hampton all drove in runs with two outs in the sixth including back-to-back doubles from Wascavage and Hampton creating the 10-2 final.
 
Noteworthy
-The 10 runs are the most scored against UWF this season.
-The three hits for Wascavage represent a season-high for the Hartselle, Alabama, native as do the three runs.
-The home run for Hammonds is her seventh of the season, while Akles records her eighth of the year.
-Akles moves to 9-1 on the year in the circle.
 
UAH 9, West Florida 1
Game Changer
-A bases-clearing double from Long followed by a base hit off the bat of Cornell gave the Chargers an early 4-0 lead in the second, setting the tone for the nightcap.
 
Inside the Box Score
-UAH would need just six hits to run-rule the Argonauts again, capitalizing also on five walks.
-Cornell went 2-for-3 with four RBI and a pair of runs scored as she belted the game-ending, three-run homer in the sixth.
-Long had the three RBI, while both Hayes and Hampton also drove in a run with Hampton's coming on a solo homer.
-Layton Murphy picked up the win in the circle, going 3.2 innings and allowing just three hits and one run while striking out four, and Sydnee Uhlman earned the save by giving up just one hit in 2.1 innings of relief work.
 
Key Plays
-After a scoreless start to the game and with two outs in the bottom of the second, Wascavage, Hampton, and Nutt each drew a walk, loading the bases for Long who doubled into left to give UAH its first three runs.
-Cornell's single into center put the Chargers ahead 4-0, and the score remained that way until the fourth when the visitors cut into UAH's lead with a run to make it 4-1.
-Hampton then homered in the fourth to immediately get the run back, and a single by the senior Hayes in the bottom of the fifth put the Chargers in front by a 6-1 score.
-Cornell then ended it with a two-out, three-run bomb in the bottom of the sixth to create the 9-1 final.
 
Noteworthy
-The Chargers are the only team to homer twice against UWF in two games this season.
-Hayes now has a team-best 49 RBI on the season.
-Cornell's home run is her seventh of the season, while Hampton logs her fourth.
-Murphy is now 10-5 on the year and leads the team in wins, while Uhlman records her eighth save of the season.