CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (February 15, 2024) – After a hot start to the season last week, the University of North Alabama softball team will look to stack more wins at the Chattanooga Challenge this weekend in Chattanooga, Tenn.
 
The tournament begins Friday, Feb. 16 against Murray State at 9 a.m. The Lions will play again at 11:30 a.m. against Western Kentucky. On Saturday, the Lions will battle WKU against at 9 a.m. and later play in-state rival Jacksonville State at 2 p.m.
 
The Chattanooga Challenge will conclude Sunday afternoon against the host school — Chattanooga — at 12:30 p.m. Three of UNA's games will be played at Frost Stadium at UTC, while the other two will take place at Warner Park Field #2.
 
The games will not be live streamed, but live stats are available for all five games. Tickets can be purchased here as a three-day pass at $25 or for $10 per day. Group rates are available for all parties of 10 or more by calling Chase Brock at 423-425-5872.
 
GAME 1
Murray State vs. North Alabama
Friday, February 16, 2024
9 a.m. at Field #2
Live Stats
 
GAME 2
North Alabama vs. Western Kentucky
Friday, February 16, 2024
11:30 a.m. at Frost Stadium
Live Stats
 
GAME 3
Western Kentucky vs. North Alabama
Saturday, February 17, 2024
9 a.m. at Frost Stadium
Live Stats
 
GAME 4
North Alabama vs. Jacksonville State
Saturday, February 17, 2024
2 p.m. at Field #2
Live Stats
 
GAME 5
North Alabama vs. Chattanooga
Sunday, February 18, 2024
12:30 p.m. at Frost Stadium
Live Stats
 
 
NOTES
 
LAST TIME OUT: North Alabama started the season on a four-game win streak last week with two wins over in-state foe Samford and single wins over UT Martin and host school Troy at the Trojan Challenge. On the final day, Troy defeated UNA in extra innings to put the Lions at 4-1.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA has 26 players on the roster, including 13 newcomers and 13 returning players. Of the 13 returners, six are returning starters from last season's lineup. The returning starters includes the entire outfield of senior trio Felicity Frame, Sidney Bevis and McKenzie Patterson who combined for 156 hits last season. Frame led the ASUN with a .383 batting average and led the Lions with 72 hits and 37 runs. Middle infielders Haven Kirby and Hailey Jones are also back as upperclassmen after combining for 10 homers and 60 RBIs. The Lions return two pitchers with experience in seniors Hannah Embry and Mariyn Waterman and will add five more to the mix in 2024.
 
INCOMING TALENT: Of the 13 newcomers on the UNA roster, eight come from the junior college level and three are true freshman. The other two are redshirt freshmen from other NCAA Division I schools, including pitchers Kyleigh Pitzer from the University of Louisiana and Lilian Berry from Penn State. Three of the newcomers are listed as utility players.
 
TOUGH TO BEAT PERFECT: Making her debut in the circle for UNA, junior transfer Alivia Wilken pitched the first perfect game in school history in a 1-0 win over Samford. She retired 21 straight hitters with three strikeouts. She went on to finish with a 2-1 record and one save over four outings, posting a 0.36 ERA over 19.2 innings.
 
HITTING IT WELL: The Lions totaled 37 hits over five games at Troy to average over seven hits per game. Junior Sydney Harris has been a sparkplug at the top of the order with seven hits, while senior Haven Kirby has six. True freshman Briley Dover and senior Felicity Frame had five hits over the five games.
 
KIRB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: Last week, Kirby led the team with six RBIs, including a grand-slam in the first inning against Troy and a solo shot a few innings later. She is currently slashing .316/.316/.842 to lead the team in slugging percentage.
 
PRESEASON POLLS: The ASUN announced its preseason information for softball earlier this month, as North Alabama landed its highest preseason ranking of the Division I era in third place behind Central Arkansas and FGCU. Hailey Jones represented the Lions on the preseason all-conference team as an infielder.
 
SWITCHING ROLES: Perhaps UNA's biggest loss on the field from last season will turn into one of its biggest assets in the clubhouse, as former all-conference catcher Georgia Land will join the coaching staff in 2024. Last season, Land hit .341 from the catcher position with nine home runs, 31 RBI and 47 hits.
 
THE DREAM TEAM: Cozart enters her 11th season coaching the Lions and has a record of 355-156-1 over her first decade at UNA. In 14 total seasons of coaching, Cozart has a career record of 546-201-1 for a win percentage of 73 percent. Cozart is assisted by Whitney Hawkins in her second stint at UNA, as well as former UNA standout Hannah Shollenberger. Hawkins was assisting Cozart during the historic 2016 season when UNA won the NCAA Division II national championship with a 60-7 overall record.
 
SCOUTING THE RACERS: Murray State enters with a 2-3 record following a pair of wins over South Dakota, but two losses to Georgia and one to Purdue. Last season, Murray State posted a 33-21 record and went 17-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference before falling to Indiana State in the first round of the tournament. The Racers are picked sixth in the MVC this season and have 11 returners and 10 newcomers on the roster, including eight freshmen. They are led by senior catcher Taylor Jackson — an MVC All-Defensive team selection in 2023.
 
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS: Western Kentucky has a 3-1-1 record, opening with wins over Missouri State, Army and NC State at the NFCA Leadoff Classic last week in Clearwater, Fla. The lone loss came to Iowa, while the tie came in six innings against Kansas at 2-2 due to timing issues. Last year, WKU finished 30-24 with a 14-9 record in Conference USA, winning one game in the tournament before double elimination. Redshirt junior Cheyanne Sales leads the Hilltoppers with a .462 batting average this season, while Katie Gardner leads in the circle with a 1.40 ERA. WKU is picked to finish second in the CUSA and had three preseason selections.
 
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS: Jacksonville State has a 1-4 record to start the season, including a 6-3 win over defending Southern Conference Champion UNC Greensboro to close the Carolina Classic. The losses came to UNCG, nationally-ranked South Carolina and Virginia, with three of the four losses coming by two runs or less. Last season, JSU went 31-22 overall and 15-9 in the ASUN, including three wins over UNA at home. Now members of Conference USA, JSU is picked to finish sixth and had senior infielder Lindsey Richardson and sophomore pitcher Jaliyah Holmes on the all-conference team.
 
SCOUTING THE MOCS: Chattanooga enters its home tournament with a 1-4 record, defeating New Mexico but falling to Cal and nationally-ranked Louisiana at the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette. Last season, UTC finished 25-27 overall with a 7-11 record in the SoCon, winning one game in the tournament before elimination by Mercer. Acelynn Sellers leads the offense with a .600 average over five games with three multi-base hits. Izzy Allen had the lone win for UTC in the circle. Chattanooga was picked fourth in the SoCon this season.
 
SERIES HISTORY: This week will be UNA's first meetings against Western Kentucky and Chattanooga, but will not be the first meetings with Murray State and Jacksonville State. The Lions are 5-0 against the Racers with all five meetings coming since 2019. The most recent came in 2021, with UNA winning 11-0 in six innings. As far as Jacksonville State, the Lions and Gamecocks have played 37 times. JSU has a 20-17 edge in the series, including a 5-3 edge in the UNA Division I era.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.