JACKSON, Tenn., – After dropping the opening game of its Gulf South Conference series against Union 2-1, the University of North Alabama softball team earned a split with an 8-0 six-inning victory in the second contest. The split gives the No. 15 Lions a 22-5 record on the season with a 9-4 mark in GSC play.

In the opener, Union's Kelly Robey limited the Lions to two hits. UNA didn't get its first hit until the sixth inning and was on the verge of dropping a 1-0 decision until Reagan Tittle's two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh gave the team life.

The Bulldogs, however, scored an unearned run off an error in the bottom of the inning to get the win. Bree Blevins took the pitching loss for UNA. She struck out five and allowed two runs off three hits. Reagan Schrader led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run to give Union a 1-0 lead.

In the second game, UNA took control with two runs in the top of the second inning and four in the third. Back-to-back RBI-doubles by Brooklynn Clark and Carey Grace Peebles gave the Lions the early 2-0 lead. In the third, UNA scored all four runs with two outs. Solo home runs by Libby Olinger and Brittany Gillison made it 4-0 before Clark and Peebles each drove in runs with singles.

North Alabama wrapped up the scoring with single runs in the top of the fifth and sixth frames. Peebles drove in her third run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field. After two Union errors gave UNA runners at second and third in the sixth inning, another sacrifice fly by Olinger gave the Lions an eight-run lead.

The game ended when Union failed to score in the bottom of the sixth.

At the plate, Clark was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI.  Peebles was also 2-for-3 with the three runs driven home. Hillary Carpenter pitched a one-hit shutout to get the win in the circle. The sophomore added three strikeouts in six innings of work.

The two teams will complete the series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.