The AUM Softball Complex entrance sign. (photo courtesy of Patrick Eiland)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Feb. 20, 2026) – The Auburn University at Montgomery softball team suffered their first loss of the season falling to West Alabama 5-2 at the AUM Softball Complex last Friday afternoon.
“It was nice to finally play at home. We had a great crowd and great fan support. Ultimately, we hate that we couldn’t come out on top.” said AUM softball coach Scottie Wilkes Laney, “West Alabama played a great game and came out swinging.”
After playing 10 games away from home to start the season, the top ranked Warhawks finally get to play in front of the AUM faithful against Gulf South Conference rival West Alabama Tigers.
In the circle to pitch for AUM was sophomore Reese Cauley who entered the game 6-0 with an incredible 1.27 ERA. She ended up having the worst outing of the season for her so far.
The first inning saw both teams get a runner to second base but nothing more, but UWA’s third baseman freshman Kayla Morris helped the Tigers strike first with a leadoff homerun in the second inning.
Two batters later Tigers sophomore left fielder Trinity Hatcher would hit her own solo homerun, putting UWA up 2-0 over AUM early. AUM managed to hold it there as Warhawks left fielder junior Karris Rhine made a great diving catch to keep the runner on second from scoring.
AUM would respond in the bottom of the inning as freshman second baseman Chloe Hollon would hit a two out two run homerun to tie the game.
The game turned into a homerun show as the Tigers sophomore center fielder Ella Watson hit UWA’s third homerun of the game, this time a two runner to give West Alabama their two-run lead right back.
Cauley would give up another run in the top of the fourth. She would only go 4 2/3 innings allowing five runs on nine hits. The five runs she allowed was one shy of her season total up to this game.
AUM had a big chance to close the gap in the bottom of the inning by getting two runners on base via a hit by pitch and a walk but two straight hard hit line outs to third base killed the positional rally before it really started.
That was basically the story of the game for the Warhawks. AUM couldn’t get the clutch hits. They got runners on and could not move them while UWA had many bloop hits and bunts to move runners and score them.
For the first time this year, the Warhawks couldn’t find that groove that had undefeated going into today. The UWA pitchers stifled AUM hitters allowing only three hits and five strikeouts. They kept the Warhawks chances to a minimum while the Tigers had a dozen hits.
In the seventh, AUM once again at runners on with the tying run up to the plate with two outs. A wild pitch on the first pitch to Rhine moved the two runners into scoring position.
As the story of the game went, the Warhawks couldn’t push those runners home as West Alabama held on for a 5-2 win, handing the top team in Division Two their first loss of the season.
What helped AUM reach the top ranking in the season was shut down pitching and explosive hitting, both failing them on Friday.
The Warhawks ace Cauley was handed her first loss of the season after a rough outing in the circle. Her era jumped from 1.27 to 2.04.
Warhawks senior infielder Rebecca Komers, who leads the team in batter average, went hitless in the game.
AUM would finish the series on top, something coach Laney was happy about.
