WINTER PARK, Fla. – After stepping off the field in the early morning hours, the University of West Alabama softball team moved on to the NCAA Division II South Two Regional Championship with a 2-1 victory of Tampa. The Tigers advance to the title game for the second time in program history on Sunday with a Noon CST start.

Taylor Beck proved to be the key cog in the one-run victory over the Spartans as the Mesa, Ariz., freshman logged two of the Red and White’s four hits on the afternoon while driving in both runs. Jessica Powell and Angela Smith garnered the only other two hits for the Tigers in the winning effort.

Beck, a second team All-Gulf South Conference selection, drove in the first run in the third inning with a single to center field that scored Taylor Miller, who had walked to leadoff the inning. Miller moved into scoring position on an Angela Smith single to right field. Both runners advanced a base on a UT error.

Tampa evened things up in the fifth inning when Brittany Joseph scored on a Susan Jallo single up the middle and the Spartans looked perched to take the lead in the contest, but Tigers turned away the following two UT batters and left a pair stranded. It marked the second time in the contest that Tampa had left two or more runners on base at the close of an inning.

Beck put the Red and Black up for good following the Spartan threat in the previous half inning with a leadoff home run to left field. The homer marked just the second of the season for Beck and the 52nd of the season for the Tigers.

Kristen Skinner (19-6) toed the rubber for the second straight day and grabbed the complete game victory. The Toxey, Ala., native sat down 10 UT batters while scattering four hits on the day with a walk. The double digit strikeout performance was the third of season for the junior and her first since her single game record performance of 15 against West Florida on Apr. 16.

Deanna Henriott (25-5) takes the loss as she recorded 10 strikeouts on the day with a walk.