FLORENCE, Ala. (April 26, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team pulled off a thrilling win to open a three-game series in Florence on Saturday, scoring a late run to defeat Eastern Kentucky by a 5-4 final at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium.
The win shakes up the Atlantic Sun Conference Gold Division, as UNA closes in on the top three with a 10-9 record in league play. EKU, the division leader, falls to 13-5. The Lions are 1.5 games back of Austin Peay (12-8) for third and 2.0 games back of Central Arkansas (12-7) for second. UNA has five games remaining, including two against EKU and three against UCA.
UNA (30-15) took an early 4-2 lead in the third inning before the Colonels (32-14) surged back to tie it in the fifth. Sophomore Bayleigh Rouse started the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double, then was replaced by Katie Davis on the basepaths. Davis scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly from Emma Kate Wright.
With a 5-4 lead, junior Katie Simon entered her second inning of relief and struck out two of EKU's top hitters — Maddi Rutan and Jada McLeod — in a perfect seventh inning. Simon improves to 7-4 on the season with the win.
The Lions had seven hits on the day, led by senior Hailey Jones with a 3-for-3 day. Jones had an RBI single to bring home the first run of the game, then hit another single to advance Briley Dover in the third. On that play, Jones caught EKU's attention on the basepaths in between first and second, allowing Dover to score on an obstruction at the plate. Jones advanced to third with heads up baserunning. She also singled in the fifth, giving her 225 career hits.
Defensively, the Lions were sharp, including a diving catch in centerfield by Gyvan Hammons to rob Rutan of a multi-base RBI hit. This came in a 2-1 game in the third and allowed UNA to take a 4-2 lead in the following inning.
UNA was not charged with any errors for the 14th time this season, owning an 11-3 record in such games.
Hammons, Dover, Rouse and Wright all accounted for the other hits. Hammons reached in three of her four plate appearances with a single and two walks, scoring two runs. Her second run tied the game 2-2 in the third inning, setting up Dover to score the go-ahead run and Laura Leigh Wheeler to sac fly Jones in to make it 4-2.
After EKU scored two runs in the fifth, starting pitcher Alivia Wilken buckled down and got a groundout to Rouse to end the threat, stranding one on base. Wilken pitched 5.0 innings with four runs allowed, but kept her team in striking distance. Simon allowed just one hit and one walk, but nothing else. The pair combined for five strikeouts.
UNA scored four runs in three innings against Rutan — the reigning ASUN Pitcher of the Year and ASUN Freshman of the year. EKU brought in Victoria Byrum for the final three innings, as UNA dealt just her third loss of the season.
Pitchers of Record
W – Katie Simon (7-4)
L – Victoria Byrum (11-3)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions and Colonels will decide the series with a Sunday doubleheader tomorrow at 11 a.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
