GSC TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE
 
OXFORD, Ala. – It was a back-and-forth affair in the Gulf South Conference Tournament opener between West Florida and Montevallo, and the third-seeded Argonauts fell short.
 
With the loss, West Florida falls to 30-14 and will face 2-seed Valdosta State in an elimination game on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
 
Montevallo took the lead in the top of the first on a Sierra Easterwood homer, but West Florida got it right back in the bottom of the inning.
 
After GSC Player of the Year Teala Howard dropped down a bunt single and stole second, Erin Moon belted a double off the wall in left-center field to even the score. Madilynne Webb followed with a single two batters later to score Moon and put West Florida ahead.
 
Easterwood would strike again for the Falcons in the top of the third, evening in the score with an RBI single, but West Florida responded with little trouble. Webb was hit by a pitch with one out, Laurynn Boggs singled up the middle, Morgan Zettle walked, and Kayanna Perez gave the Argonauts the 3-2 lead with a line drive single to left field.
 
After Webb hit a sharp single to bring in another run in the bottom of the fourth, Montevallo tied up the game again with a two-run homer from Easterwood.
 
But things wouldn't stay tied for long. After back-to-back singles from Howard and Kayla Mayo, Erin Moon delivered her first career home run to right-center field, giving UWF a 7-4 lead on a line drive off the scoreboard.
 
That comes as little surprise for the freshman, who was named a second team All-GSC selection on Wednesday. Since last weekend, Moon is 7 for her last 14, now with a home run and four RBIs.
 
Montevallo then responded with four unanswered runs to take the lead and the win.
 
Howard and Moon each had three hits, and Webb and Boggs each had two.
 
In her first stint of the day in the circle, starting pitcher Kelsey Sweatt struck out five over three innings, with three hits and two runs allowed. The senior exited the game after the third inning but re-entered in the sixth, falling to 13-9 on the year.
 
Montana Young threw 2.1 innings of relief, and Katelin Booker faced two batters in the sixth inning.
 
Additionally, West Florida moved up to No. 8 in the latest NCAA South Region Rankings, which were released on Wednesday and count games through Sunday.
 
The Argonauts are up two spots from last week, while Auburn Montgomery, Tampa, and Valdosta State each stayed in the top three. Nova Southeastern, Rollins, Embry-Riddle, and Alabama Huntsville took spots four through seven, and Lee and Saint Leo rounded out the rankings.
 
First pitch on Thursday will be at 10 a.m. at Choccolocco Park.