OXFORD, Ala. – The No. 6 AUM softball team was as efficient as it has been all season in defeating Alabama Huntsville, 7-4, in a winner's bracket game of the 2025 Gulf South Conference Championship at Choccolocco Park on Thursday.
 
AUM (36-10) advanced into one of the winner's bracket title games and will await the winner of the Mississippi College and Trevecca Nazarene. The Warhawks will return to play at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Friday with two chances to advance to the overall championship game.
 
On Thursday, AUM had 11 hits and was led by Lexie Bullock's 3-for-4 effort that included a pair of 2-run base hits as they built a 7-1 lead after four innings. Chloe Baynes, Haley Ann Frank and Arianna Machado all had two hits each.
 
Chelisa Newsome (15-4) got the win after working six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits.
 
AUM struck first when Bullock hit a bloop double into shallow right field that allowed Baynes and Frank to score for a 2-0 lead.
 
After UAH got one back in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly, AUM continued to put pressure on the Charger infielders, scoring on an overthrow of a stolen base at third. Later in the same at-bat, Frank singled deep in the hole at short as Jasmine Sneed came home from third, extending the lead to 4-1.
 
The Warhawks went on the offensive again in the fourth. Baynes singled, stole second and then reached home on a hit-and-run on a Frank ball up the middle as she made a hook slide at home to avoid the tag of Jada Henderson. After Frank and Lexi Love executed a double steal to second and third, Bullock laid down a bunt that rolled untouched past the pitcher's circle as both runners scored, stretching the lead to 7-1.
 
UAH scored one in the sixth and two in the seventh but were held in check when Reese Cauley got the final three outs for the Warhawks.
 
AUM improved to 17-3 all-time in five GSC Championship appearances. The Warhawks have won their last six tourney games and are looking to add to titles won in 2021, 2022 and 2024.