ROME -- The Lady Hawks topped No. 22 Alabama Huntsville 4-1 Wednesday afternoon to open the Gulf South Conference series.

With the win, Shorter improves to 13-16 overall and 8-10 in the GSC; while the Chargers move to 23-8 on the season and 13-6 in conference play.

Kaylee Combs put the Lady Hawks on the board in the first inning with a two-run homer to straightaway center for the 2-0 score. UAH rallied in the third to cut the lead in half on an RBI single from Shelby Booker. But, Shorter countered with two in the bottom of the inning to extend their lead to 4-1. Tiffany Holland scored the first run of the inning on a single to the pitcher, before Carson Carriker came home one batter later on a passed ball.

The Chargers threatened in the fourth, fifth and seventh, but weren't able to push a run across despite putting runners in scoring position in each.

Payton Lippert earned the win, to move to 7-6 on the season, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and a strikeout through a complete game performance.

Hunt, Combs and Holland each finished with two hits; while Combs added three RBI.

The teams will be back in action Thursday in a doubleheader beginning at 11:00am to close the series.