FLORENCE, Ala. (April 18, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team opened its senior weekend in dominant fashion, sweeping a series-opening doubleheader against Bellarmine with respective 8-2 and 9-2 wins at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium.

Four pitchers took the circle for North Alabama on Friday, and all four were effective with only three earned runs allowed between the four. The Lions also outhit Bellarmine 14-9 over the two games.

UNA gained valuable ground in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings with the wins, moving to 28-15 overall and 8-9 in ASUN play. The Lions jumped Lipscomb for fourth place in the ASUN Gold Division standings with the second win. Meanwhile, Bellarmine falls further out of postseason contention at 7-28 overall and 2-15 in league play.
 

Game 1 — North Alabama 9, Bellarmine 2

UNA scored in each of the first five innings, scoring the first seven runs of the game en route to a 9-2 victory in the opener.

Senior Alivia Wilken pitched five innings and picked up her 11th win of the season with just two runs allowed. She allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out six. True freshman Kaylee Snyder finished the job with two scoreless frames to close.

The offense accomplished the unusual feat of scoring more runs than hits, using just six hits to tally the nine runs. The first run was scored unearned as Gyvan Hammons reached on an error and moved up to third on a wild pitch, then raced home on an RBI groundout by Briley Dover in the second at-bat.

After a sacrifice fly by Kylei Russel scored a run in the second inning, Hammons came back up at the top of the order and hit her first career home run, which was of the inside-the-park variety. Her hit skipped off the lip between the natural infield and turf outfield, rolling past the outfielders and to the wall. This also scored Jorja Roberson to make it 4-0.

The senior duo of Ryleigh Boyett and Hailey Jones joined the fun on their senior weekend, as Boyett hit a sac fly to score Jones in the third and Jones hit a two-RBI single in the fourth to score Russell and Dover. Jones led the game with two hits.

Bellarmine broke through on Wilken in the fifth with a two-run homer, but UNA made up those two runs with a bases loaded walk to Russell and a sac fly by Hammons.

The three sacrifice flies set a new Division I game-high for the Lions, as UNA has not had two in a game since at least 2014 — according to available records.

Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (11-7)
L – Claire Lehmkuhler (2-14)
S – None

Game 2 — North Alabama 8, Bellarmine 2

The nightcap started differently from the opener, as Bellarmine jumped to a 2-0 lead before the Lions rallied with eight unanswered in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Twin magic in the circle also aided the effort, as both Katie Simon and Emily Simon pitched in the 8-2 win to secure the series.

Emily — the reigning ASUN Pitcher of the Week — started the first two innings with just two hits allowed, allowing an unearned run in the first. Katie took over at the start of the third and allowed two singles and a run on a wild pitch, but gave up just one hit the rest of the way to earn the win. She is now 6-4 this season.

The Lions went yard twice in the second game, including homers from Laura Leigh Wheeler and Bayleigh Rouse in the third and fourth innings to give UNA the 3-2 lead. Sophomore Briley Dover ripped a triple to right-center to score Hammons to open a four-run fifth inning. Jones scored Dover in the next at-bat with a ground rule double, then Jones scored on a wild pitch and Rouse sacrificed home Wheeler for the eighth run.

Dover and Wheeler both had multi-hit games and each scored twice. Hammons also scored twice in the outing and stole two bases. Dover also swiped a pair of bags and reached in all three plate appearances.

Pitchers of Record
W – Katie Simon (6-4)
L – Kelsie Houchens (4-12)
S – None

COMING UP NEXT

The Lions will go for the series sweep tomorrow at 11 a.m. Prior to the game, UNA will honor seniors Ryleigh Boyett, Hailey Jones, Lillyanna Cartee, Grace Gregory and student manager Collin Franks.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.