CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (April 12, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team opened a three game road set at Austin Peay on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader to open the Atlantic Sun Conference series in Clarksville, Tenn.
The Govs used late dramatics to take game one, as a two-run homer gave the home team a 6-4 win in nine innings. The Lions avenged that loss in game two with a shutout performance from junior pitcher
Emily Simon, winning 4-0 in the nightcap.
The Lions out-hit Austin Peay 22-12 in the doubleheader, as UNA totaled 13 hits in game one and nine in game two. UNA has had 13 games with double-digit hits this season with an 11-2 record in such games.
Senior
Hailey Jones enjoyed a remarkable day at the plate, going 6-for-9 over the two games with three hits in each. She also locked up her fourth straight 50-hit season, improving her season average to .399. She now has 214 hits and a career .319 average over four seasons.
UNA is now 26-14 overall and 6-8 in the ASUN. Austin Peay moves to 31-9 and 9-5 in league play.
Game 1 — Austin Peay 6, North Alabama 4 (9 innings)
The series opener brought fireworks, as the Govs ended up with a nine-inning victory after a walk-off homer by Brie Howard. The nine-inning game was the second-longest for UNA this season behind an 11-inning win over Oakland on March 1.
The Govs took a 4-1 lead in the third inning, as UNA's lone run in that span came on a bases loaded single by
Bayleigh Rouse. This followed back-to-back-to-back singles from
Gyvan Hammons,
Hailey Jones and
Laura Leigh Wheeler.
UNA stranded six runners over the first three innings, but broke through in the fourth with RBI hits from Jones and
Briley Dover to make it 4-3. Wheeler tied it up in the fifth with a solo shot. UNA went on to out-hit APSU 13-7, but were unable to take the lead.
Senior pitcher
Alivia Wilken went all nine innings in a valiant effort, scattering seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Jones led the offense with a three-hit day.
Pitchers of Record
W – Ashley Martin (10-2)
L –
Alivia Wilken (10-7)
S – None
Game 2 — North Alabama 4, Austin Peay 0
Emily Simon threw her first 7.0 inning game since March 1 and her first 7.0 inning shutout since her debut on Feb. 7 against Alabama State, leading UNA to a 4-0 win over the Govs to level the series.
Simon scattered five hits in the shutout while adding two strikeouts. She improved to a 9-3 record and a 1.74 ERA over 76.1 innings. She has seven complete games this season and is allowing opponents to hit just .196 against her.
While Simon took care of business in the circle, the UNA offense put up nine hits and led from start to finish. In just the third at-bat of the game, Jones singled home Dover for an early 1-0 lead. In the third inning, Wheeler scored Jones with a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the sixth inning, the Lions added more insurance with an RBI triple by
Kylei Russell to score
Katie Davis. This was Russell's first career triple. Dover scored Russell in the next at-bat with a single up the middle.
Simon finished the game with three straight outs, retiring eight straight to end the game.
Jones went 3-for-4 with hits in her first three at-bats, including a triple. She ranks second in the ASUN with five triples this season. Junior catcher
Natalie Shaw had a two-hit day, including a double.
Pitchers of Record
W –
Emily Simon (9-3)
L – Emberly Nichols (7-4)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The rubber match is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
