LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Florida softball team defeated the University of West Alabama 12-10 Monday afternoon in the final game of the three game series in Livingston, Alabama. The Argonauts (17-29, 9-20 GSC) won the Gulf South Conference series with the Tigers 2-1 after they split a doubleheader Sunday.
 
"We had a big day at the plate today," said head coach Melissa Paul. "Jenna, Jessica, Kaylen, and Kayln all hit homeruns for us and that got everyone else going. We were able withstand West Alabama's response late and I'm happy we came out on top today."
 
West Alabama opened up the scoring in the game after scoring one run on one hit in the first inning. The Argos responded in the third inning by scoring five runs off of five hits. Senior Jenna Belser (Chipley, Fla./Holmes County HS) and sophomore Jessica Wilkinson (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz HS) each hit homeruns in the inning to generate UWF's scoring. West Florida added another run in the fourth inning when freshman Kaylen Rowell (Pensacola, Fla./Tate HS) registered an RBI to extend UWF's lead to 6-1 over the Tigers.
 
UWA scored two runs in the fifth to pull within three, but West Florida answered back with six runs in the sixth inning to lead 11-3. Rowell added to her RBI total by hitting a two-run home run in the inning, while junior Kayln Chapman (Boonville, Ind./Wabash Valley JC) hit her first homerun of the season in the inning. Junior Emily Pettigrew (Navarre, Fla./Pensacola State College) rounded out the scoring in the inning after driving in two runs with a double.
 
However, West Alabama would keep things close after they rallied back with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and trailed UWF 11-9 headed to the seventh. The Argos would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make it 12-9, and then relied on pitcher Becca Taylor (Panama City, Fla./Rutherford HS) to close out the bottom half. The Tigers made things interesting by scoring a run in the seventh but Taylor was able to get out of the inning and West Florida walked away with a 12-10 victory.
 
Four Argos totaled three hits in the game including Belser who finished the day going 3-for-3 with a homerun and two RBI. Four student-athletes for West Florida registered a homerun in Belser, Rowell, Wilkinson, and Chapman. Wilkinson and Rowell led UWF with three runs batted in each, while Pettigrew contributed two RBI after going 3-for-4 at the plate. Freshmen Meghan Toney (Huntsville, Ala./Madison County HS) and Rowell were the final two Argos to record three hits in the game after each went 3-for-4 at the plate.
 
Taylor picked up her ninth win of the season after she went 6.1 innings with four strikeouts and had four earned runs.
 
West Florida will conclude the 2015 regular season next weekend on April 25-26 when they host Delta State University for Senior Day.
 
For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.