LIVINGSTON &045; An unearned run in the fifth inning proved to be the winning run, as the University of West Alabama Tigers get its 11th win of the season, including winning five of its last six ball games, beating Stillman, 2-1.

Freshman Clint Smith pitched three innings of relief to earn his first save as a Tiger. He came in for relief pitcher Jonathan Sherrill in the seventh inning and didn’t allow a hit, while finishing with four strikeouts. Cole Thornton (1-0) picked up his first win as a Tiger, pitching five innings. He gave up a pair of hits, while striking out five.

UWA (11-5) finished with six hits and was led at the plate by Clark Humber and Darryl Brown. Both went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Also collecting hits were Rob Dahlberg and Clint Moody, a native of Demopolis.

The Tigers got on the scoreboard first in its half of the first inning. With one out, Humber doubled to right-center and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Dahlberg. James Guilliams followed with a walk, but Dahlberg was thrown out at third trying to steal for the second out. After Chris Gilbertsen walked, Todd Rea grounded out to the pitcher to end the scoring threat.

UWA took advantage of a pair of Stillman errors in the fifth inning to get its second run of the game. Brown smacked a one-out single up the middle and advanced to second on error by Stillman second baseman Thomas Walker. Humber knocked a base hit up the middle, which kept Brown at second. When Dahlberg struck out swinging, Brown tried to steal third, but Stillman catcher CJ Richerzhagen’s throw went into left field. The error allowed Brown to score on the play.

Stillman (4-9) got its only run in the sixth inning. With Sherrill on the mound, Marcus Whitfield reached on a bunt single to begin the inning. Clay Gilliam singled to shortstop to put a pair of runners on with no outs. Nathan Moncrief advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt for the first out. Kevin Long followed with a base hit through the right side to plate Whitfield from third. Jack Hazlerig hit into an inning-ending double play. The Tigers got out of the inning by giving up just a run on three hits.

Stillman finished the game with a run on five hits.

West Alabama return to the field Saturday with a doubleheader against Delta State in Cleveland, Miss. First pitch is schedule for 3 p.m.

UWA athletics contributed to this story.