HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep of visiting West Alabama on Saturday, winning 9-1 in five innings before capturing a 6-3 win in the nightcap. The Chargers improve to 11-6 (6-2 Gulf South Conference) with the victories, while UWA falls to 5-12 (2-6 GSC).
 
Next Time Out
-UAH will aim to make it a series sweep on Sunday when the teams close out the weekend with a single game at noon.
 
UAH 9, West Alabama 1
Game Changer
-Shelby Booker and Ashley Cornell smacked home runs in the first inning, setting the tone for UAH's fourth run-rule victory of the season, and Layton Murphy allowed just one hit to help the Chargers earn the dominant triumph.
 
Inside the Box Score
-The Chargers outhit West Alabama by a 12-1 margin in the contest.
-Four different Chargers had a pair of hits with both Kaylee Vaught and Cornell tallying a double and a homer, while Alaina Hampton had a double as one of her two hits with Booker also finishing with a pair including her long fly.
-In total, the Chargers had six hits for extra bases with three doubles and three home runs.
-Vaught had a team-high three RBI in the game, with Cornell and Hampton both driving in a pair.
-Cornell and Mackenzie Nutt crossed the plate a team-best twice.
-Murphy went the distance, allowing just the one hit, walking one, and hitting six in picking up the complete game.
 
Key Plays
-After a scoreless top half, Booker hit a one-out solo homer to right center, and three batters later Cornell would belt a two-run shot to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead after the first.
-West Alabama would produce a run on a groundout in the second, and the game remained 3-1 until the home half of the third when Hampton doubled in a pair of runs to give the Chargers a 5-1 advantage.
-Vaught's solo homer in the fourth put the hosts ahead 6-1, and UAH ended the contest early with Shannon Long singling in a run before Vaught doubled in a pair to create the 9-1 final.
 
Noteworthy
-With an additional RBI in the nightcap, Vaught is now tied for the team lead with 15, matching Long and Nutt.
-Murphy is now 4-0 on the season, lowering her opposing batting average to .257.
 
UAH 6, West Alabama 3
Game Changer
-Kiara Akles hit a pair of two-run home runs to key UAH in the victory.
 
Inside the Box Score
-The Chargers outhit UWA by an 11-7 margin in the contest.
-Booker turned in an impressive 4-for-4 performance at the plate and scored twice, while Akles led the team with the four RBI while also scoring twice.
-Long also had a multi-game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
-Vaught also had an RBI in the game as she picked up another home run.
-Ava Jacobs tossed the first three innings, scattering just two hits and allowing a run before yielding to Sydnee Uhlman who three four innings in picking up the win, surrendering five hits and two runs.
 
Key Plays
-West Alabama snagged an early lead, going up 1-0 in the first, but the Chargers immediately answered with Akles belting a two-run shot to left in the home half to make it a 2-1 game.
-Vaught then led off the third with a homer down the left field line, and two batters later Akles would hit her second two-run bomb to produce a 5-1 advantage for the Chargers.
-An infield single in the bottom of the fifth off the bat of Long plated Reagan Malone and gave the Chargers a 6-1 lead, and UWA created the eventual 6-2 final by scoring in top of the sixth.
 
Noteworthy
-Akles now owns a team-best five home runs on the season, and the four RBI is a season-high for the junior who is hitting .417.
-Vaught picks up her third home run of the year.
-UAH homered three times in both games on Saturday which is the season high for the Chargers.
-Uhlman is 2-1 on the season in the circle.