VALDOSTA, Ga. | The University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team saw its run at the 2021 NCAA Division II South Regional come to a conclusion on Thursday as the third-seeded Chargers fell to No. 2 seed Valdosta State 8-0 in six innings before dropping a tough 3-2 decision to No. 1 seed Auburn Montgomery in an elimination game. The Chargers end the year with a 32-14 overall record.
 
Against Auburn Montgomery, UAH laid claim to the game's first lead when in the second Gracie Green worked a terrific 10-pitch at-bat including fighting off four straight offerings before finally poking it down the third base line to score Kiara Akles, and that 1-0 lead would hold until the top of the fourth when the Warhawks tied the game at 1-1.
 
Providing an immediate answer in the bottom frame, Akles would hit her team-best 12th home run of the year with a solo shot to left that also gave her 47 RBI for the season while putting the Chargers in front 2-1.
 
The Warhawks would go ahead, however, with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, and though UAH would get two on in the sixth and another on in the seventh, Auburn Montgomery was able to escape with the win to advance in the tournament.
 
Layton Murphy went the distance for UAH in the circle, allowing eight hits and striking out four in her second start of the day, and she concludes her season with a 16-6 record, a 2.41 ERA, and 90 strikeouts.
 
In the day's first game, Valdosta State's Anniston Gano hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and it would be one of three that the Blazers would hit in the contest.
 
VSU's Samantha Richards earned the win in the circle, allowing just three hits to UAH with Kaylee Vaught, Lila Young, and Green having the base-knocks for the Chargers.
 
With Thursday's results, UAH says goodbye to Ashley Cornell and Reagan Malone who played their final games in the Blue and White. Both appeared in over 225 games while in Huntsville.