OXFORD, Ala. — Day two of the 2026 Gulf South Conference Softball Tournament is over, and No. 11 West Florida (41-11) is still in the hunt after shaking off an early loss to Trevecca Nazarene (20-18) and rebounding with a close comeback victory over Montevallo (39-16).
UWF shook off multiple two-run deficits to the Falcons to knock them out of the tournament and advance to the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.
UWF came in at No. 3 in the most recent NCAA DII Softball South Region rankings Wednesday, putting them in prime position to host a regional. Their next opponent in the tournament, 3-seed AUM, sits right In front of them in the region. The top two teams host, with UWF needing a solid performance against the Warhawks for a chance to jump them for hosting rights.
Individual Highlights:
Nicole Mergen was by far the most prolific player at the plate for the Argos Thursday, driving in six of the Argos' nine total runs on the day by way of three extra-base hits. Overall, she was 4-for-7 with two runs in including two home runs and a double.
Miranda Harmon also batted .429 on the day with a 3-for-7 mark at the plate and two runs. Catchers
Bella Holliday and
Abigail Pippen also tallied two hits apiece.
Hannah Harper led the team with three runs scored.
Haley Guffey (26-5) worked through early turmoil in game one to have a stronger game two, allowing no earned runs and striking out four batters on the way to the complete game win.
Game 1: 1-Seed UWF 4, 8-Seed TNU 6
The Argonauts started strong, scoring three runs in the first inning, highlighted by
Nicole Mergen's three-run homer that drove in
Miranda Harmon and
Hannah Harper. The score stood at 3–2 in favor of West Florida after the initial inning, despite Trevecca's Bailey Goad homering for two runs in the top of the inning.
However, Trevecca responded in the fifth inning with a pair of solo home runs by Sarah Nicholson and Annabelle Ellis, followed by an RBI single from Shay Hollingsworth, pushing the Trojans ahead 5–3.
They added another run in the sixth with an RBI double by Ellis, extending their lead to 6–3. West Florida attempted a comeback in the seventh, scoring one run but ultimately fell short, concluding the game with a score of 6–4.
Game 2: 1-Seed UWF 5, 4-Seed UM 4
In their second game, West Florida edged Montevallo in a tightly contested matchup, securing a 5-4 victory. The Argonauts amassed eight hits, with a crucial three-run fifth inning proving decisive.
Montevallo initially scored two unearned runs in the second inning, but Mergen responded with a solo home run, reducing the deficit to 2-1. The Argonauts tied the game in the third inning when
Emma Brice's single allowed Harper to score.
The fifth inning was pivotal, as Mergen hit a double to left field, driving in two runs. A sacrifice fly by
Abigail Pippen brought in pinch runner
Olivia Keith for another score, putting West Florida ahead 5-4 by the end of the fifth inning. Both teams remained scoreless in the final innings, allowing the Argonauts to secure the win.
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The Argos advance on to play the 3-seed AUM with a spot in the semifinal and regional hosting rights on the line. Game time is set for 10:00 AM CT. For news updates, meet results, rosters, bios, schedules, and more, visit GoArgos.com or follow @UWFSoftball on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
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