JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University softball team split a double-header with Shorter University Saturday afternoon at Fesmire Field. The series was moved from Rome, Ga. to Union because of the recent snow fall in north Georgia. Union's record moved to 9-7 overall and 3-5 in Gulf South Conference play. Shorter dropped to 10-3 overall and 5-3 in conference.
 
Game 1: Union 2, Shorter 1
Shorter got on the board first in the top of the fifth inning on the RBI double from Maggie Meacham that scored Niki Cook from first base.
 
Union tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Madison Tennyson scored off an RBI single from Reagan Schrader that tied the game at 1-1 with one out. Alex Williams then came to the plate and ripped a double to left field that plated Summer Cross from second base, giving the Lady Bulldogs the walk off win.
 
Kelly Robey started on the mound for Union tossing seven innings giving up one run on five hits while recording eight strikeouts. Tennyson finished the day 1-for-3 with the run scored with Schrader and Williams both went 1-for-4 with one RBI.
 
Cook led the Hawks at the plate going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Maddie Bray started the game for Shorter going 6.1 innings giving up two runs on five hits and seven walks.
 
Game 2: Shorter 5, Union 2
Shorter again scored first, this time early in the game. The Hawks took the lead in the top of the first scoring with Cook scoring on a throwing error.
 
The Hawks tacked on one more run in the third inning and three more in fifth to take a 5-0 lead over the Lady Bulldogs.
 
Union got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning with back-to-back doubles from Schrader and Williams. The Lady Bulldogs added another run in the inning courtesy of another double, this time off the bat of Whitney Christian. Williams scored from second setting the score at 5-2.
 
The Lady Bulldogs threatened in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second, but could not push any runs across for another comeback win.
 
Schrader and Williams led Union at the plate both going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored each. Williams started on the mound for Union going 4.1 innings giving up five runs on six hits to earn the loss. Annette Castaldo came on in relief tossing the final 2.2 innings not allowing a run and striking out two.
 
Amanda Blanchard started the game for the Hawks going five innings giving up two runs on six hits while striking out nine to earn her fifth win of the season. Maggie Meacham led Shorter at the plate 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a double.
 
Union will finish their three game conference series with Shorter on Sunday, March 1^st, at 1:00 p.m. Live stats and video can be seed at www.uuathletics.com/live.
 
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