LIONS KNOCK OFF
SECOND-RANKED FLORIDA SOUTHERN, AUGUSTA
STATE AT WEST GEORGIA TOURNEY
CARROLLTON, Ga., – The University
of North Alabama softball team picked up a
pair of extra-inning victories Saturday at
the West Georgia Wolves Invitational,
downing No. 2 Florida Southern and Augusta
State by identical 6-5 scores.
Senior Jessica Liddy hit three doubles, a
single and a home run, finishing the day
5-for-7 at the plate with eight RBI to lead
the Lions.
UNA’s scheduled game against No. 23 Southern
Indiana was called off due to weather,
leaving the Lions with a 9-1 record on the
season and a 3-1 mark at the UWG tourney.
In the early game, Liddy went 2-for-3 with
three RBI as the Lions endured a late FSC
rally and won the game in eight innings.
UNA jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of
the first inning. A double by Liddy brought
home lead-off hitter Lindsey Greene for the
Lions’ first run of the game. UNA then used
an RBI-single by Lindsey Bates, and a
fielding error by the Mocs to score two more
times in the first.
The Lions extended their lead to 4-0 in the
second inning. After Kim Lee led off inning
with a single and stolen base, Liddy again
came through with a double to bring her
home.
Florida Southern, however, responded with a
single run in the bottom of the inning, then
used a three-run fifth inning to tie the
score at 4-4.
Neither team scored again until the eighth,
when the Lions pushed two runs across the
plate.
A sacrifice fly by Liddy scored Greene from
third base. Freshman Andrea Palmer then
delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle
to provide what would prove to be the
winning run.
The Mocs were able to score once in the
bottom of the eighth, but UNA pitcher Megan
Niesel (3-0) secured the win with a ground
out to third base to end the game. For the
game, Niesel worked eight innings,
scattering 10 hits and recording five
strikeouts.
Against Augusta State, the Lions withstood
two rallies before recording the 6-5 win in
nine innings. After a two-run double by
Liddy in the third inning, UNA led 2-0
heading into the bottom of the fifth when
the Jaguars scored for the first time.
Single runs in the bottom of the fifth and
sixth stanzas tied the score at 2-2.
Liddy appeared to be the hero again for the
Lions in the top of the seventh with a
three-run home run to put UNA on top 5-2.
Augusta, however, answered with a three-run
homer of its own to tie the game and force
extra innings.
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Lions
used a two-out rally to score the eventual
winning run. An RBI double by Sarah Whitlow
brought home Nikki Reed to put UNA on top
6-5.
The Lions secured the win in the bottom of
the inning with a game-ending double play.
With the tying run on third, UNA pitcher
Stephanie Glienke fielded a hit and threw
the runner out a first. With the base runner
at third on the move, first baseman Maggie
Eades then threw home to record the final
out of the game.
Liddy went 3-for-5 with five RBI’s in the
contest, while Bates and Whitlow added two
hits each. Glienke recorded three strikeouts
and improved to 3-1 despite allowing 17
hits.
UNA will be in Decatur next weekend for the
UAH Charger Chillout. The Lions will take on
six teams in the three-day event, beginning
with Northern Kentucky Friday at noon.
Printable Game
Statistics - Florida Southern -
Edwardsville - Game 9
Printable Game
Statistics - Augusta State - Game 10
