By Staff
Special to The Star
March 8, 2001
LIVINGSTON, Ala. West Alabama pounded out 18 hits and took advantage of nine wild pitches to down the 11th ranked Columbus State Cougars 18-5 in the nightcap of a doubleheader Wednesday. The Cougars took the opener 10-5.
Carlin Homan led the Tiger hit parade with a double and a grand-slam homer in UWA's seven-run fourth frame. Scott Merkich had four hits and Michael Friedlein three as 10 different Tigers hit safely in the contest.
Michael Allen (2-2) was the beneficiary of UWA's production, going six innings and allowing only three earned runs while striking out nine and walking only two. Tom Capallo (0-1), the first of five hurlers for the visitors, was saddled with the loss, allowing six earned runs in only one inning of work.
Andrew Ginther had two doubles and a homer for Columbus in game two.
Brad Bouras, Chris Gilstrap, Ladd Hammond and Rodney Kennedy had two hits each to lead Columbus in the opener. Bouras blasted a two-run homer and Kennedy also knocked in two runs.
John Miniscalco (3-2) was the winner for Columbus while Jeremy Cook threw the final three innings to pick up the save. Matt Moyer (1-1) was the Tiger loser, allowing four runs, one earned, in the first inning. Moyer, the projected number one starter for UWA, left after that with a sore arm. His status is day-to-day.
Ryan Gernard and Martin Jackson each homered for the Tigers. Jackson had three hits, while Gernard and Merkich had two each.
Columbus moved to 16-7 with the split while the Tigers' record stayed even at 7-7. UWA is scheduled to host Concordia College in a doubleheader on Saturday.
Lady Tigers split with UNA
The West Alabama softball team earned its first conference win of the season by upending instate rival North Alabama 4-3 in extra innings in game one of a GSC doubleheader. The Lady Lions would exact some revenge in game two, shutting out the Tigers 3-0.
In game one, both pitchers cruised through the first three innings as the game remained scoreless. The Tigers broke through with one run in the fourth inning, and added another in the sixth.
North Alabama, aided by some Tiger miscues and timely hitting, scratched out three runs in the top half of the last inning to take the lead. The Tigers fought back to score one in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Keli Jo Lenz sending the game into extra frames.
After a scoreless eighth, UNA failed to score in the ninth and the stage was set. With runners on first and second, Dianna Bethea ripped a sharp two-out single into left field.
Angela White was able to slide in under the tag at the plate, as the Tigers picked up their first GSC win of 2001.
Zayne Smith allowed three runs and ten hits over nine innings en route to picking up the win and moving her record to 5-3 on the year.
Bethea led the Tiger offensive charge with three hits, including the game winner. Crystal Hodges and Keli Jo Lenz added one hit and one RBI apiece for the victorious Tigers.
Game 2, UNA 3, UWA 0: saw North Alabama scratch out single runs in the second, fourth and seventh innings while holding the Tigers scoreless. UWA equaled the Lady Lions hit total of seven, but four Tiger errors were the difference.
Lenz pitched 61/3 strong innings in defeat, allowing only one earned run on seven hits. Her record moves to 0-1 early in her senior campaign.
Bethea continued her good play by going 2-for-4 at the plate. Kim Long, Fawn Murphree, Kim Quattlebaum, Zayne Smith and Keli Jo Lenz each had one hit for West Alabama.
The split moved UWA's record to 6-7 overall and 1-5 in Gulf South Conference play.
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday with a visit to Faulkner University. Game time is schedule for 1 p.m.