CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (February 17, 2024) – The University of North Alabama softball team split day two of the Chattanooga Challenge, picking up a dominant victory over traditional rival Jacksonville State while falling in a rematch with Western Kentucky on Saturday.
 
One day after losing to UNA by a 3-1 final, the Hilltoppers rallied back the next day with a come-from-behind 7-3 victory to split the two-game exchange. The Lions bounced back in the afternoon, using early offense and quality pitching to handle Jacksonville State, 7-2.
 
The Lions improve to 7-2 on the season with wins over quality opponents such as WKU, Jacksonville State, Troy, Samford, UT Martin and Murray State. Both of UNA's losses came in rematches against teams it already beat — Troy and WKU.
 
Today also marks the first time UNA has lost a game on a doubleheader day this season, moving to 7-1 on days with two games.
 
Junior pitcher Alivia Wilken continued her dominance in the circle, improving to a 4-1 record with her win over JSU. For the season, she owns an impressive 0.83 ERA over 33.2 innings with 19 strikeouts to just five walks.
 
Offensively, the Lions totaled 19 hits over the two games. The JSU game marked the first time this season UNA has hit for the team cycle with a single, double, triple and home run. Outfielder Sydney Harris and catcher Raegan Clem led the way with four hits apiece over two games.
 
UNA enters the final day of the Chattanooga Challenge with a 3-1 record.
 
Game 1 — WKU 7, North Alabama 3
 
The Lions took an early lead in the fourth inning, but the Hilltoppers avoided the two-game sweep with a sixth inning rally to win 7-3 in Saturday morning's opener.
 
Senior pitcher Hannah Embry tossed three scoreless innings and allowed just one run in the fourth, allowing UNA to take an early 3-1 lead through four innings. All three runs came in the third inning, as Sydney Harris started the rally with a leadoff double.
 
Harris scored the first run for UNA in the next at-bat, as a sac bunt by Felicity Frame resulted in a throwing error to reach her and score the opening run. After that, Hailey Jones continued her strong tournament run with an RBI triple to make it 2-0. She was driven home on a sac fly by freshman Briley Dover shortly after, making it 3-0.
 
WKU began its comeback rally with one run in the fourth, one in the fifth and the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning. A bases loaded single and a three-run homer gave WKU a 7-3 lead — the most runs allowed by UNA so far this season.
 
UNA used four pitchers, including junior transfer Emma Koeneke making her UNA debut in the circle for the final inning. She tossed a scoreless frame with just one walk allowed, while tallying a strikeout.
 
Clem led the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three singles. Both teams tallied eight hits in the game.
 
Despite the loss, UNA celebrated a pair of accomplishments from local freshmen. Dover, a former standout at Loretto High School, turned two double plays on defense, while former Mars Hill Bible School standout Emma Kate Wright had her first collegiate hit in the seventh inning.
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Maddy Wood (1-1)
L – Cassidy Duskin (3-1)
S – None
 
Game 2 — North Alabama 7, Jacksonville State 2
 
The Lions caught fire early in game two, striking for five runs in the first two frames en route to a 7-2 victory over former Atlantic Sun Conference rival Jacksonville State.
 
The scoring started with an RBI triple by Dover to score Frame and Harris — both of whom reached on hits at the top of the order. In the second inning, junior first baseman Riley Boyett led off with a solo shot for her first career homer. Sidney Bevis followed with a double, then Harris singled at the top of the order. Both came around to score on grounders.
 
After a defensive double play turned by shortstop Haven Kirby and a strikeout by Wilken, the Lions added insurance in the top of the third with an RBI fielder's choice by McKenzie Patterson to score Dover. JSU answered with one run in the bottom half to make it 6-1 after three.
 
Wilken allowed just one more run the rest of the way — the first homer she's allowed in over 30 innings of work. Meanwhile, UNA added one more in the sixth on an RBI double by Kirby to score Frame.
 
Harris led the offense with a three-hit day, while Frame and Dover added two apiece. The Lions totaled five multi-base hits against JSU.
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (4-1)
L – Jaliyah Holmes (1-3)
S – None
 
COMING UP NEXT
 
The Lions end the Chattanooga Challenge on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. against tournament host Chattanooga. This will be the first all-time softball meeting between UNA and UTC.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.