Photo courtesy of UNA Sports Information

Southaven, Miss. - Freshman pitcher Whitney Gilbert tossed her first career no-hitter as the Chargers avoided elimination at the Morgan Keegan/Gulf South Conference Softball Tournament on Friday with a 7-0 win over North Alabama.

Gilbert (18-4) was masterful, striking out five in seven innings to earn her second shutout of the tournament. She was a walk and an error away from a perfect game.

With the win, the Chargers (39-10) avoided elimination and advanced to the tournament semifinals to face No. 2 Valdosta State, while UNA had its season end at 29-29.

Erin Duke had two hits to lead the Charger offense, while Abby MacKay hit her fourth home run and drove in two runs.

The Chargers found themselves with one foot on the bus after losing a hard-fought game to West Florida in the second round 3-2 in 12 innings. Argonauts pitcher Jillian Lafrance not only outlasted Charger hurler Whitney Hawkins, but she had the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 12th inning.

Hawkins pitched 11 2/3 innings, allowed three runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

Duke was 3-for-5 with two steals, while Whitney Schrimsher had a pair of hits. Beth Lawson also hit her 12th home run of the season. Her bomb, a long smash over the left field fence gave UAH a 2-1 lead in the top of the 11th inning. However, UWF tied it in the bottom of the inning and won it in the 12th.

The Chargers did all of their damage in the third inning in the opening game. Kelli Long plated the first run on an RBI single. Then, two more runs scored on a single up the middle by Beth Lawson to make it 3-0. A walk with the bases loaded made it 4-0, then pinch-hitter Meagan Billingsley capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Whitney Gilbert (18-4) went the distance for the Chargers to get the win. She scattered five hits, struck out two and walked three.

Sam Deep was 2-for-4 and scored a run, while Lawson was 1-for-2 with a walk and two RBI.