FLORENCE, Ala. (March 8, 2024) – The University of North Alabama softball team tallied 24 hits over two games, including a season-high 13 in the opener, splitting a two-game tilt against Maryland Eastern Shore and Southern Miss on Friday at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium.
The Lions won by mercy rule in the opener against UMES, while falling on a late rally to Southern Miss in the nightcap. Of the 24 hits in the two games, there were seven doubles, a triple and three home runs to make up 11 multi-base hits.
UNA moves to 16-8 on the season, while Maryland Eastern Shore finishes the day with a 5-8 record after a win over Detroit Mercy in the final game of the day. Southern Miss moves to 9-11 after a loss to Murray State and a win over UNA.
The Lions close things out at the home invite tomorrow against Murray State and UMES, starting with the racers at 3 p.m. Both games will be at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium.
Game 1 — North Alabama 9, Maryland Eastern Shore 1 (6 innings)
Playing two hours later than expected, the Lions still brought the energy with seven runs in the first two innings to power a 9-1 victory. Penn State transfer Lilian Berry entered in relief and got the win in her UNA debut.
The Lions set new season highs for hits with 13, runs scored with nine and tied a season-high with three home runs, last done at Troy nearly a month ago to open the season.
The first blow from UNA came off the bat of Hailey Jones with a first inning three-run homer, bringing home leadoff hitters Felicity Frame and Sydney Harris after back-to-back walks. Junior Grace Gregory tacked on one more in the four-run inning with a single to score Haven Kirby.
The Lions added three more to make it a 7-0 lead in the second, capped by an RBI single by Briley Dover and an RBI double by Lillyanna Cartee immediately after.
With a pitcher in the lineup for the first time this season, Cassidy Duskin helped her own case at the plate with a single, but also pitched three scoreless innings to open things up. Berry did the rest, allowing just one run on two hits over 3.0 innings.
The Lions ended things in exciting fashion in the sixth with back-to-back homers from Becca Benton and Jaiden Farnetti. The duo forced a mercy-rule walk-off, with Benton going deep to center and Farnetti crushing one over the left field wall on the final pitch.
Pitchers of Record
W – Lilian Berry (1-0)
L – Kylee Lehman (2-5)
S – None
Game 2 — Southern Miss 9, North Alabama 5
Both teams totaled 11 hits in a heated battle, but Southern Miss soared back from a three-run deficit with a sixth and seventh inning rally to win 9-5.
UNA led most of the way, taking the lead on a double by Kirby to score Frame in the first inning. A sac fly tied it up in the third inning, but the Lions ripped back the lead with a double by Cartee in the right-center gap to score Dover and Jones.
Dover came back around in the fifth and singled home Jones for another run, making it 4-1 after the fifth. From there, Southern Miss finally cracked the code and rallied back with five runs in the sixth inning to lead 6-4. Three more crossed in the seventh.
UNA looked to rally in the seventh with back-to-back hits by Jones and Kirby to put runners in scoring position and the tying run closer to the plate. One run came home on a groundout, but a solid defensive play in left field by Carlee Durham ended the threat.
Alivia Wilken pitched five strong innings with just one run allowed before Southern Miss cracked the code in the sixth. BrookLynn White pitched the final five innings for USM, earning her second win of the season by keeping her team in striking distance.
Despite the loss, UNA hit a season-high six doubles with two from Jones and one from Cartee, Farnetti, Kirby and pinch hitter Ryleigh Boyett.
Pitchers of Record
W – BrookLynn White (2-3)
L – Alivia Wilken (7-4)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions round out the UNA Invitational on Saturday with back-to-back afternoon games against Murray State at 3 p.m. and UMES again at 5 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
