MONTGOMERY, Ala. (February 7, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team made a splash in its 2025 debut on Friday, sweeping a two-game set against Nicholls State and Alabama State to open the Stinger Softball Classic in Montgomery, Ala.
 
UNA has won every season opener since 2019, which was the first season of Division I. Under head coach Ashley Cozart, UNA is 11-1 in season openers. Additionally, the Lions start 2-0 for the third straight season.
 
The Lions gave up a pair of early runs in the first game, but rallied to take the lead for good in the fourth inning to defeat Nicholls 5-3 in the noon game. A few hours later, junior transfer Emily Simon made her UNA debut with a complete game shutout to lead UNA to a 1-0 win over Alabama State. Returning senior Lillyanna Cartee drove in the winning run.
 
Those same teams will play at the same times tomorrow.
 
Eight Lions made their official debuts on Friday, including six junior transfers, sophomore transfer Bayleigh Rouse and true freshman Kylei Russell out of West Morgan High School.
 

Game 1 — North Alabama 5, Nicholls State 3
 
The Colonels struck for a pair of runs in the top of the first, but North Alabama ace Alivia Wilken buckled down and finished a quality start win in her season debut.
 
The UNA offense quickly responded with a run in each of the first two innings to tie things up. Leadoff hitter Gyvan Hammons, a transfer from Northwest Florida State, drew a leadoff walk in the first at-bat of the season. She then scored on an RBI single from cleanup hitter Laura Leigh Wheeler, a transfer from Wallace State.
 
The second inning involved a leadoff walk by Cartee, who came around to score on a fielder's choice grounder by junior catcher Natalie Shaw, a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast.
 
Nicholls took a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning before back-to-back outs by Wilken stranded a runner. From there, UNA found a way to score three in the bottom half for the go-ahead runs. True freshman Kylei Russell started the rally with a double, then Shaw singled to the pitcher to put runners on the corners. Shaw was subbed out for pinch runner Katie Davis, a junior from Volunteer State.
 
Davis stole second to put herself in scoring position, then a sac fly by sophomore all-conference infielder Briley Dover tied the game. Davis scored the winning run on a passed ball, then senior all-conference second baseman Hailey Jones scored Hammons for insurance.
 
Wilken got through the fifth and sixth innings with no issues, but needed help in the seventh and got it in the form of a 5-3 double play by new third baseman Bayleigh Rouse, a sophomore from Wallace State. Wilken ended the game with her second strikeout of the day.
 
Five Lions had one hit on the day, while Hammons scored two runs with only one official at bat. She drew three walks from the leadoff spot.
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (1-0)
L –  Sierra Ouellette (0-1)
S – None
 

Game 2 —North Alabama 1, Alabama State 0
 
Emily Simon, who joined the Lions this season from Wallace State along with her sister, Katie, had a stellar debut in a 1-0 win over host school Alabama State.
 
However, there were no easy innings for Simon and the defense. Alabama State stranded six runners on base throughout the game, as Simon faced the minimun just three times. One of those three times ended with a double play turned by the trio of Rouse-Jones-Cartee.
 
Speaking of Cartee, the senior first baseman from Wallace State was the hero at the plate with a game-winning triple in the fourth inning. Jones started the inning by reaching on a dropped fly, but stayed at first as the next two Lions flew out. Cartee ripped a two-out triple into right center to score Jones for the only run of the game.
 
Jones, Hammons, Cartee and junior transfer Jorja Roberson of Mississippi Gulf Coast had one hit apiece. Roberson and Cartee were the only player to hit safely in both games for UNA.
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Emily Simon (1-0)
L –  Kaitlyn Hill (0-1)
S – None
 
COMING UP NEXT
 
The Lions will open tomorrow against Nicholls State at 12 p.m. and will end with Alabama State at 5 p.m.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.