CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (February 16, 2024) – The University of North Alabama softball team is catching the attention of many in the region, improving to 6-1 on the season with a pair of wins over Murray State and Western Kentucky on Friday at the Chattanooga Challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Both games ended in 3-1 finals Friday morning, led by a pair of strong pitching performances from junior transfers
Cassidy Duskin and
Alivia Wilken. The UNA offense tallied three runs and eight hits in each game, led by a 5-for-7 showing at the plate by junior infielder
Hailey Jones.
Duskin improved to a 3-0 record with a 1.53 ERA this season, allowing just one run over three hits in the win over Murray State. Moments later, Wilken tossed her third complete game of the season with just one run allowed on seven hits against a tough WKU lineup. She struck out four, including three looking, improving to a 3-1 record and a stellar 0.52 ERA.
Today marks the fifth time in seven games that UNA has limited its opponent to just one run or less, including two shutouts of Samford last week. The Lions are outscoring opponents by a combined score of 25-10 this season.
Game 1 — UNA 3, Murray State 1
Duskin locked into a pitcher duel against Murray State's Jenna Veber early on, as both pitchers took shutouts into the fifth inning. The Racers would break through first in the fifth, but the Lions catapulted back into the lead with two runs in the bottom half and another in the sixth to win 3-1.
UNA threatened first with back-to-back two out singles from Jones and middle infield running mate
Haven Kirby. A groundout stranded both runners to end the inning. Over the first four innings, Murray State only reached two runners, but neither past first base.
A leadoff single by Taylor Jackson set up an RBI single by Summer Ray to put the Racers ahead, but Duskin retired the final out herself to end the frame. The Lions answered the call in the bottom half of the inning, as three errors by the Racers allowed UNA to move around the bases and score two runs. Senior
Felicity Frame singled and came around on two errors, scoring the go ahead run.
Working with a lead for the first time, Duskin retired the side in the sixth inning. The Lions tacked on insurance with a leadoff single by
Ryleigh Boyett that later resulted in an RBI double by senior
Sidney Bevis. With Farnetti pinch-running for Boyett, she moved over on a pair of sacrifices by
Raegan Clem and
McKenzie Patterson. Bevis, a local product from Wilson High School, doubled to right center to bring home Farnetti with two outs.
With a 3-1 deficit in the top of the seventh, Murray State looked to rally as the first baserunner reached on an error. This was quickly shut down by North Alabama, as Kirby and Boyett teamed up for a double play. A groundout to Jones at second ended the game.
Jones finished with two hits, while Frame, Kirby, Boyett, Clem and Bevis accounted for the others with one each. With her double, Bevis has her first of the season and the 20th of her career.
Pitchers of Record
W –
Cassidy Duskin (3-0)
L – Jenna Veber (2-2)
S – None
Game 2 — UNA 3, WKU 1
Riding momentum from the first win, UNA faced WKU at a different field less than an hour after the first game. This game started differently, but ended the same as the Lions toppled the Hilltoppers by a 3-1 final at Frost Stadium.
WKU would be the one to strike first this time, as three straight two-out singles produced a run. With two runners on, Wilken buckled down and got her first of four strikeouts to end the inning with limited damage.
This turned out to be all the damage WKU could manage against Wilken, who allowed four more hits but nothing else en route to her third victory. She induced 14 flyouts and just three groundouts in this outing.
The offense wasted no time tying the game in the top of the second, as true freshman
Briley Dover singled up the middle to lead things off. She moved up on a wild pitch and another sacrifice by Clem, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Patterson.
Wilken stranded two on base to close the second inning, then retired the side in the third to keep things tied for the fourth. From there, UNA took the lead with a pair of go-ahead runs. Boyett started the inning with a triple, which allowed Patterson to hit another sac fly to take the lead. Bevis hit another single to put another runner on and she later scored on an error.
Working with a 3-1 lead, Wilken went back in the circle and allowed just three more hits over the next four innings. All three that reached were stranded in separate innings, leaving WKU empty handed with the tying run at the play in the final inning.
Jones continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 to match her career-high. She's had 11 three-hit games over the last three seasons, eight of which came as a freshman in 2022.
Frame, Kirby, Dover, Boyett and Bevis also added hits. On the bases, Kirby stole her second base of the season and the 18th of her career.
Pitchers of Record
W –
Alivia Wilken (3-1)
L – Katie Gardner (2-1)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions continue tournament play tomorrow at 9 a.m. with a rematch against WKU. Tomorrow afternoon, the Lions will battle in-state rival Jacksonville State at 2 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
