OXFORD, Ala. – The University of West Florida softball team fell in its Gulf South Conference Championship opener against 1-seed Alabama Huntsville on Wednesday evening at Choccolocco Park.
 
The Argonauts will play 5-seed Valdosta State at 12:30 pm on Thursday.
 
Emma Brice got the scoring started in the top of the first, homering against GSC Pitcher of the Year Katie Bracken to give UWF a 2-0 lead. The homer scored Erin Moon, who reached with a two-out double, and was Brice's eighth home run of the season – the most for a UWF freshman since Natalie Manis hit 11 in 2003.
 
The Chargers strung together a pair of hits and scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second, but picked up a six-run third inning to take a 7-2 lead.
 
UAH added three more in the fifth to end the game at 10-2.
 
Montana Young was charged with four earned runs over 2.1 innings of work, while Alayna Lowery was charged with two earned runs and six total runs, also over 2.1 innings. Hannah Harper finished off the game in the circle for UWF, facing just two batters before UAH scored its final run.
 
With her home run, Brice also picked up her fifth multi-RBI game of the season. Moon's double in the first inning extended her GSC doubles lead, giving her 18 on the year.