PENSACOLA, Fla. – The UWF softball team picked up a pair of wins in its home-opener against Flagler on Saturday evening. The Argonauts got a standout performance from pitcher Montana Young in Game 1, before a stunning comeback win in Game 2. 
 
Young earned the win in both games, going a combined 11.1 innings in the two games. 
 
Hannah Harper was at the forefront of UWF's offense, picking up multiple hits in both games. Fellow freshman Emma Brice hit the walkoff home run that capped off UWF's win in Game 2. That marked her first career home run and UWF's first home run of the year. 
 
UWF opens Gulf South Conference play on Saturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26, at Union in Jackson, Tennessee. 
 
GAME 1: UWF 3, Flagler 0
Montana Young spun a gem in Game 1, improving to 2-1 on the year with a shutout performance. The junior struck out six batters and walked only one, while allowing just three hits. 
 
West Florida got out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, with an RBI double from Chelsea Dumas and an RBI single from Kayanna Perez. 
 
Young retired nine consecutive batters once UWF got out to the 2-0 lead, and she sat down 9 of the last 11 batters she faced. 
 
Dumas reached on a throwing error in the sixth inning that allowed Madelyn Vasquez to score and stretch the lead to the final 3-0. 
 
Dumas and Hannah Harper each had a double in the game, while Harper picked up her third multi-hit game of the season. Dumas also stole a base, her first of the year. 
 
GAME 2: UWF 10, Flagler 7
A five-run two-out rally in the sixth inning turned the tide for West Florida in Game 2. 
 
Trailing 7-2 after five-and-a-half innings, UWF took advantage of four Flagler errors and picked up clutch hits from the middle of the order in the sixth inning. 
 
Kelsey Hodges led off the inning with a walk, and pinch-hitter Halie Wetherington drew a walk a few batters later with two outs. Ayana Powell, who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning, advanced to second on the walk, moved to third on a wild throw back to the pitcher following the walk, and scored on a wild throw from center field on the same play. 
 
Jessica Ford reached on a throwing error a batter later, which allowed Wetherington to score, and Kayla Mayo reached on a dropped fly ball in right field to put two runners on with two away.
 
Erin Moon followed with a double after a seven-pitch at-bat, where she trailed 0-2 and fouled off four consecutive pitches. That double plated two, cutting the deficit to 7-6.
 
Vasquez squared the game up with a laser single to right field, scoring pinch-runner Kayanna Perez. 
 
Emma Brice homered to finish off the UWF comeback in the eighth, driving in Vasquez and Hodges. 
 
Kayla Mayo scored in the top of the first when Erin Moon reached on a Flagler throwing error, and Hannah Harper worked out of a jam when the Saints picked up a couple of hits. 
 
Jessica Ford was hit by a pitch to lead off the fifth, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, before Mayo brought her in on a sacrifice fly.
 
Harper had another multi-hit game, giving her four on the year. 
 
Harper got the start in the circle, going 3.2 innings and allowing five runs. Montana Young entered the game in the fourth inning and improved to 3-1. She threw 4.1 innings of relief, allowing just two runs and two hits, while striking out six.