VALDOSTA, Ga., – A pair of victories on the opening day of the 2015 Gulf South Conference Tournament kept the No. 3 seed University of North Alabama softball team in the winner's bracket. The Lions knocked off Delta State 8-0 in five innings before edging UAH 3-1 in the second round. UNA will face the winner of the Shorter/Valdosta State Friday at 3 p.m.

Against sixth-seeded Delta State, an eight-run outburst over three innings gave the Lions an 8-0 mercy-rule win. The Lions totaled 13 hits, getting three runs in the third inning, one in the fourth and four in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game. Avery Godwin's pinch-hit triple to right center scored the final two runs to end the game.

"We hit the ball really well in our last game of the regular season and I think some of that momentum carried over to this game," said UNA head coach Ashley Cozart. "We started to adjust at the plate after the second inning and really started playing with a lot of confidence."

UNA got things going in the bottom of the third inning. Courtney Shields doubled and later scored on an RBI-single by Libby Olinger. Reagan Tittle then hit a two-run homerun to center field to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.

Carey Grace Peebles led off the fourth inning with a solo homerun to put UNA ahead 4-0 before a four-run fifth inning ended the game. The Lions started the fifth with four straight hits. After a leadoff single by Brooklynn Clark, back-to-back doubles by Brittany Gillison and Madeline Lee gave UNA a 5-0 lead. Peebles then singled through the left side to score Gillison from third.

After a ground out, Godwin connected on her first triple of the season to score Lee and Peebles.

Olinger and Peebles each went 2-for-2 at the plate for UNA. Shields, Tittle and Gillison added two hits each.

Hillary Carpenter pitched a one-hitter to get the win in the circle. Her 11th shutout gave her an 18-4 record on the season. "Hillary really came out on fire and I think that energized our bats," added Cozart. "Everyone just played with a lot of confidence and energy today and it was just a trickled down effect to the rest of the team."

Against the No. 2 seed Chargers, UNA starter Bree Blevins went the distance in the circle as the Lions rallied for the win. Blevins (14-6) scattered five hits over seven innings with a pair of strikeouts.

After UAH plated a single run in the bottom of the third inning, the Lions used a three-run sixth to grab the lead. Tittle led off the frame by hitting the first pitch over the left centerfield fence. The solo homerun was the second of the day for the freshman from Lynn and tied the score at 1-1.

A double by Lee later put runners at second and third for Peebles, who singled up the middle to give UNA a 2-1 lead. A sacrifice fly by Harlie Barkley then scored Lee from third to make it 3-1.

UAH got a pair of base runners in each of the sixth and seventh innings but could not score. Blevins got GSC Player of the Year Kaitlyn Bannister to pop up with runners on second and third to end the game.

"I can't say enough about Bree," said Cozart. "She fought through some adversity late in the season and really came out today and showed heart and determination. She held us in the game until our bats came around. She just kept getting outs for us and our bats came around when we needed them most."