April 20, 2008
PENSACOLA, Fla. - After a successful first game, UWF was unable to produce but eight hits in the second game versus UWA. Combined, pitchers Taren Walton and Jillian LaFrance gave up fourteen hits in the 10-3 loss. LaFrance, however, was three-for-four at the plate with two singles and a double, collecting two RBIs. West Florida finished regular season play for a record of 38-19 and 18-8 in GSC play.
All was fairly quiet for both sides in the first two innings of the second game, but West Alabama bats came alive in the top of the third posing a big threat. Back-to-back singles for the Tigers put a runner in scoring position. UWA's Kelli Hartley singled up the middle to advance the runners, but Heather Bell refused to let a run score, throwing the lead runner out at home.
West Florida took control of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, led by Bell who reached on a single to the left side. Whitney Gay followed with a walk, and Walton won a full count battle with a single straight up the middle. Nicky VanCamp walked to juice the bases, and this time it was Jillian LaFrance who collected RBIs. LaFrance roped a double into deep right field, scoring both Bell and Gay.
West Alabama tied it up in the top of the fourth inning, to make the score 2-2. UWF responded with back-to-back singles from Julie Carroll and Melissa Chastang, but came up empty handed on the scoreboard to remain tied at two. The real damage was done in the top of the fifth inning when the Tigers scored five runs on four hits, forcing a pitching change for West Florida that brought in Jillian LaFrance.
A pair of West Alabama throwing errors in the bottom of the sixth inning allowed West Florida to put one more on the board, but that would be the last of the Argo runs. UWA tacked on three more off a homerun from Monica Rethwill in the top of the seventh inning to make the final score 10-3.
West Florida will enter post season play starting May 2nd, 2008 in South Haven, Mississippi for the GSC tournament. Games will be broadcast live through Stretch internet.
