One-loss teams Delta State, Shorter and UAH will fight for the right to join UNA in the title game. As the tournament's only remaining unbeaten team, the Lions would have to lose twice at Steel's Diamond on the campus of Valdosta State University.

Against Shorter, UNA jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never trailed. The Lions scored seven runs off 10 hits while starting pitcher Hillary Carpenter got the complete-game victory in the circle.

"I liked that we came out swinging," said UNA head coach Ashley Cozart. "Putting up those three runs in the first inning was huge. It really gave the team confidence and took some of the pressure off of Hillary."

After allowing a single run in the bottom of the first inning, Carpenter retired 18 straight batters. The Lions had the 7-1 lead before a pair of one-out singles by the Hawks in the bottom of the seventh broke the streak. Shorter, however, could not plate any runs, falling to 33-15 on the season.

Carpenter allowed the one run off four hits. She struck out three to improve to 19-4 on the season, tying her own single-season school record for victories set last season.

The bottom of the lineup did the most damage for the Lions as spots six through eighth went a combined 6-for-10 at the plate.

In the first inning, UNA took advantage of a Shorter throwing error to score three unearned runs. RBI-singles by Reagan Tittle and Brooklynn Clark were sandwiched around an RBI-ground out by Brittany Gillison.

After starting the game with two straight singles, the Hawks struggled to get base runners the rest of the way. Shorter scored from third base on an RBI-groundout, but would not have another player reach base until the bottom of the seventh inning.

UNA extended its lead with single runs in the top of the second, fourth, sixth and seventh frames. Harlie Barkley led off the second with a single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Courtney Shields. Madeline Lee then made the score 5-1 by leading off the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field.

After doubling in the sixth inning, Lee scored again on an RBI-single by Barkley. Clark drove in her second run of the game with a double in the top of the seventh to wrap up the scoring. Lee and Barkley each drove in a run and finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate. Clark was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.