JACKSON, Tenn. – Entering the series finale against Union, the University of West Florida softball team had not trailed after four innings during what is now a 19-game winning streak. That changed on Sunday afternoon, with offensive fireworks from both sides leading to three lead changes and 18 total runs between the two teams.
 
After scoring eight total runs in the final three innings, UWF won its 19th consecutive game and improved to 29-8 on the year with a 14-7 Gulf South Conference record. The late-inning offense the Argonauts showed on Sunday comes as no surprise — West Florida has outscored its opponents 51-13 after the fourth inning during the streak.
 
Included in those 19 consecutive wins are 12 GSC wins in a row. UWF has jumped from ninth in the GSC standings with a 2-7 record after the North Alabama series to a tie for third, at 14-7. Only Valdosta State and Alabama Huntsville, each at 15-6, are ahead of UWF with four conference series remaining in the regular season.
 
The 19-game winning streak is tied for the fourth-longest in UWF softball history, tying a 19-game stretch from the 2003 team that lasted from March 25 to May 3 that year. The longest in program history comes from the 2005 team, which won 27 in a row from February 25 to April 5.
 
Jacey Castro capped off a remarkable week with a four-hit game on Sunday and finished the week hitting .667 (6-for-9) with five walks, continuing a four week hot streak at the plate. Since the beginning of the West Georgia series on March 18, Castro has hit a team-leading .512 with 14 runs, 21 hits, 6 doubles, 3 home runs, 9 walks and no strikeouts.  
 
West Florida got a solid outing from Sarah Maloney, who entered the game in relief of Becca Taylor in the first inning and picked up her ninth win of the season.
 
UWF took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning on Rhiannon Sassman's fifth home run of the season, driving in Castro. Sassman had a team-high seven RBI in the series
 
It was an uncharacteristically short start for Taylor, who went just a third of an inning and allowed four runs to start the game. The first came on a single from Ashley Scott, and Haley Barnette followed two batters later with a three-run home run, which was her second of the year.
 
With the score at 4-2 entering the second, Sara Spears singled up the middle with one out, stole second and came around to score on a double to left field from Castro to cut the deficit to 4-3. Union would strike back with two more runs in the bottom half, on an RBI single from Paige Robertson and a bases-loaded walk from Barnette.
 
UWF threatened in the fourth with a another single and steal from Spears, but a strong throw from Union left fielder Ladesha Nelson on a single from Castro caught Spears at the plate and ended the inning.
 
The Argonauts would not have to wait long for an offensive payout, however, starting with a two-out double from Callan Taylor in the top of the fifth. Tiona Hill then singled up the middle and Baleigh Boltz was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Tate High School product Rachel Wright. UWF's sophomore center fielder hit a line drive into left center field on the first pitch she saw to clear the bases and tie the game at 6-6 after five innings.
 
Like Castro, Wright's bat has really heated up in the last 15 games. Since March 11, she has hit .326 and slugged .558 with four doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI.
 
Castro started a potential rally in the sixth as well, with a one out single that was her sixth hit of the weekend. Meghan Toney followed with a walk to bring up Sassman with two on and one away, and Sassman delivered with her fifth triple of the year, putting West Florida ahead 8-6. Callan Taylor brought in Sassman just a batter later with a groundout to second, giving UWF the 9-6 lead.
 
After Union loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, Taylor returned to the circle for her second relief appearance of the season. Barnette lined a single into left field to cut West Florida's lead to 9-7, but Taylor followed with a strikeout and a grounder to third to end the inning and hold the two-run lead.
 
With one away, Baleigh Boltz and Jacquelynne Poling each drew a walk, and Spears stretched the UWF lead to 10-7 with a groundout to shortstop that brought in Boltz. Castro followed with a sharp ground ball through the right side that brought in another run and put the score at 11-7.
 
Taylor had no trouble finishing off the Bulldogs in the seventh, striking out Ashley Graves and getting groundouts from LaDesha Nelson and Paige Robertson to pick up her third career save. The senior struck out two and allowed just one hit in her 1.2 innings of relief work.
 
Maloney picked up her ninth win of the season, going five innings and allowing just three hits.
 
UWF will head to Mobile for a single game against Spring Hill at 3 pm on Wednesday.