HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville softball team won its second consecutive conference series, splitting Saturday's doubleheader with Delta State as the Chargers bounced back from a 1-0 setback in the opener to win 6-2 in the nightcap. UAH improves to 15-5 (5-4 Gulf South Conference), while DSU falls to 8-10 (3-4 GSC).
 
The Chargers will be back in action on Wednesday when the team travels to perennial power North Georgia. The midweek doubleheader is slated for an 11 a.m. CT start in Dahlonega.
 
Delta State 1, UAH 0
In the day's first game, a bases-loaded walk proved to be the difference in the pitcher's duel as the teams combined for just nine hits.
 
Megan Shurtz tossed the complete game for UAH, scattering six hits while striking out five and giving up just the one run.
 
Shelby Booker and Alaina Hampton both had a double in the game for the Chargers at the plate, while Gracie Green picked up the team's other hit.
 
The one run came in the second inning when Delta State picked up a pair of singles and a hit by pitch to load the bases with two outs before the walk pushed in the deciding run.
 
UAH threatened to turn in some more late dramatics, getting runners at first and second in the bottom of the seventh before the Lady Statesmen turned a game-ending double play.
 
UAH 6, Delta State 2
The UAH bats came alive in the nightcap, with the hosts outhitting Delta State 9-6.
 
Three different Chargers had a pair of hits in the game including Hampton who had two doubles, while Kaylee Vaught had a pair of base hits and an RBI and Kiara Akles had a single and a double while scoring once.
 
Layton Murphy started the contest for the Chargers and worked around five hits while striking out one in her three innings, and Shurtz picked up her sixth win of the season after giving up just one hit in four innings while striking out two and walking none.
 
The Chargers started the scoring in the second when a passed ball allowed Akles to score after she had doubled to lead off the inning, and a productive groundout from Mackenzie Nutt plated Hampton who had reached on an error earlier in the inning to make it 2-0.
 
Delta State answered right back with two of their own in the visiting half of the third to tie the contest, but UAH regained the advantage in the home half of the fourth, with back-to-back doubles from Hampton and Green lifting the Chargers to a 3-2 lead.
 
UAH then put the contest out of reach when the team sent eight to the plate in the bottom of the sixth with Hampton's double driving in one of the three runs they would score in the inning.