Photo by J.C. Medeiros

Decatur - After having the first 10 games of the season either canceled or rescheduled, the top-ranked UAH softball team finally got on the field on Saturday at the Decatur Chillout. The Chargers opened the season having to play three games in one day and proved up to the challenge, taking wins over Barry University, Ferris State University and Columbus State University.

In the first game, senior pitcher Whitney Hawkins did it on both sides of the plate, smacking a 3-run homer and tossing a 5-hit shutout to lead the Chargers to a convincing 8-0 win over Barry in six innings. Hawkins (1-0) worked all six innings and struck out five. Her home run capped off a six run first inning for the Chargers and quickly put Barry in a deep hole at 6-0.

Senior outfielder Erin Duke also had an RBI in the inning and she later would drive in another run with an RBI single in the fourth inning to give UAH a 7-0 lead. Duke was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. 

Freshman hurler Whitney Gilbert saw her first action against Ferris State. She earned her first win as a Charger, working five and a third innings, allowing two runs, one earned on four hits. She struck out nine and walked two as the Chargers whipped the Bulldogs 8-2.

Duke continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-3 with a home run, double and five RBI. She also scored half of the Chargers' runs. 

In the final game of the day, the Chargers battled back from a four-run deficit to beat Columbus State 6-5. The Cougars scored three runs in the first inning on a shot by Kristi Bullard. An RBI triple by Charger catcher Whitney Schrimsher in the fourth inning trimmed to deficit to 3-1. However, another homer by Bullard in the fifth inning gave the Cougars a 5-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Chargers got the runs back on senior slugger Beth Lawson's 2-run double that cut the CSU lead to 5-3. Then in the sixth innings, the Chargers tied the game with a pair of runs, one scoring on a three base error and the other on a sacrifice fly by Duke.

After Columbus came up empty in the top of the seventh, the stage was set for drama. Emily Roach reached on a one-out single.  She was lifted for pinch-runner Audrey McClanahan. McClanahan didn't have to wait long as the next batter, Schrimsher, ripped a double to left center, driving the freshman all the way around to score the winning run.

Gilbert improved to 2-0, settling down after the rough start. She pitched the complete game, working seven innings, surrendering five runs, three earned and six hits, with three walks and five strikeouts. Schrimsher finished 3-for-4 with two RBI. She was a home run away from hitting for the cycle. Lawson also had a pair of hits and two RBI.