West Alabama scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning and six runs in the top of the 12th to defeat Delta State 15-10 in Gulf South Conference softball action on Saturday. Whitney Brown batted in five total runs on two home runs.

UWA won the series 2-1 to improve to 7-6 overall; 2-1 in the conference. Delta State sell to 5-7 and 1-2.

“I am really proud of this ball club,” said UWA head coach Will Atkinson.

“We showed a lot of determination. Effort and attitude are the only things we can control. The team had max effort and had a positive attitude from the first pitch to the last. Our bats came alive today and bailed us out when the defense was not as solid as we know that it can be. Whitney was locked in today and the entire offensive lineup got the big hits when we needed them.”

Brown sent three runs to the plate in the top of the third and then two with her second in the seventh inning. Brown’s second homer followed Jordyn Whiddon’s first to cut out Delta State’s 5-3 lead.

Delta State quickly responded with three runs on two singles and a double in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 7-7.

After exchanging runs in the 10th inning, four hits and one Statesman error led to six more runs and the victory for UWA.

Brown finished 4-for-7 at the plate, while Whiddon went 3-for-7 with three RBI. Anna Shartzer led with three runs, while Rebecca Schick, Miriah Chavez, Scarlett Wright along with Brown and Whiddon all tallied two runs each.

Kaitlin Moore led the Statesman at the play going 5-for-6 with two runs and two RBI.

Sarah Ray-Averett (5-1) picked up the win after pitching through nine innings, relieving Skylar Davis in the fourth. Ray-Averett allowed one earned run. DSU’s Taylor Tucker (5-2) took the loss, allowing 12 runs through the first eight innings.

“This is the best conference in Division II softball and it will be a big fight each weekend,” said Atkinson. “There are no “give-me’s” in the GSC.”

West Alabama will open its home season on Thursday with a double-header against Stillman. Game one is set for 2 p.m. at the UWA Softball Complex.