TROY, Ala. (February 9, 2024) – For the sixth straight season, the University of North Alabama softball team starts the season in the win column, as the Lions defeated Samford and Troy to open the 2024 campaign at the Trojan Invitational in Troy, Ala.
 
The day started with a historical feat, as junior pitcher Alivia Wilken made her North Alabama debut in the circle and retired 21 straight batters for the first perfect game in program history. This also marked the sixth no-hitter in the Division I era for UNA.
 
While Wilken and the defense worked the shutout, the Lions got the run it needed on an RBI single by senior shortstop Haven Kirby to win 1-0. Kirby started game two with a grand slam, leading the Lions to a 7-4 win over Troy in the nightcap. Wilken came back in for the second game and retired three more to earn the save.
 
Kirby led the offense by going 3-for-7 over the two games, including two homers and six RBI. Designated player Sydney Harris also had three hits on the day, going 3-for-4 against Troy, while returners Hailey Jones and McKenzie Patterson had two hits apiece. One of Patterson's hits was a solo homer, essentially serving as the ultimate go-ahead run against Troy.
 
The Lions open the tournament with a 2-0 record and will play three more times this weekend.

 
Game 1 — North Alabama 1, Samford 0
 
UNA made quick work of in-state rival Samford in the opener, scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth inning of a 1-0 game that lasted just over an hour.
 
Wilken, who was voted the ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year in a social media fan vote this past week, made a splash in her UNA debut with 7.0 perfect innings. She had just three strikeouts, but did not allow any walks or hits. Twelve of her outs came in the air, while the other six were groundouts.
 
While Wilken was impossible to figure out for Samford, the Bulldogs were also frustrating the Lion offense early on. Jones walked in the first inning for UNA's first baserunner, then redshirt sophomore catcher Raegan Clem reached on a single for the team's first hit of the campaign in the third.
 
Jones and Clem flipped methods of reaching in their next at-bats, as Jones singled in the fourth and Clem walked in the fifth, but those would be the only base runners to this point. An infield single by senior Felicity Frame started the sixth inning, where UNA would finally break through. Harris moved her over with a sac bunt, then a groundout by Jones moved her to third with two outs. Enter Haven Kirby, who hit an infield single to bring in the go-ahead run.
 
With a tight lead, Wilken returned for the seventh inning and got a groundout and two flyouts on just five pitches to secure the perfect game victory.
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (1-0)
L – Jordyn Partain (0-1)
S – None

  Game 2 — North Alabama 7, Troy 4
 
The second game of the day involved more offense, as the Lions earned a 7-4 victory over Troy to finish perfect on opening day. The Trojans and Lions combined for 22 hits, including 13 by Troy, but the Lions would smash three homers en route to victory.
 
The Lions started hot in the nightcap, as the first four at-bats resulted in four runs. Frame opened the game with a 3-2 walk, then moved to second on a bunt single by Harris. Jones also hit a single, moving everyone up a base with nobody out. This brought up Kirby, who smashed a homer into left field to put her team ahead 4-0. Troy answered with a run in the bottom half to make it 4-1.

  The following inning brought more fireworks, as Patterson hit a solo shot to right field to extend the lead again. Junior pitcher Cassidy Duskin retired the side in order to keep her team ahead, also making her winning UNA debut on Friday.
 
Troy began chipping away, scoring a run in the third with four singles. Duskin and company escaped the bases loaded jam with a 5-2 lead, then stranded two runners in the fourth after a diving catch by third baseman Briley Dover ended the frame.
 
Kirby continued her wreckage in the fifth inning, lining a solo shot over the left field wall to make it 6-2. The Trojans answered with a run to cut the deficit in half, summoning UNA's leading returner Mariyn Waterman in relief. Waterman struck out her first hitter and induced a groundout to end the inning a preserve the lead.
 
Harris added some insurance in the sixth with an RBI single to score Patterson, who reached on a leadoff double. Troy escaped a bases loaded jam in the sixth and created a similar situation in the bottom half, but were only to produce one unearned run before a flyout ended the threat with the tying run on base.
 
In the seventh inning, the Lions went down in order but brought in their not-so-secret weapon to close it down — Alivia Wilken. With one on and nobody out, Wilken entered and retired three straight on back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout for the save.
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Cassidy Duskin (1-0)
L – Olivia Cato (0-1)
S – Alivia Wilken (1)

COMING UP NEXT
 
The Lions continue tournament play tomorrow with two games against UT Martin and Samford. The UT Martin game begins at 9 a.m. and the Samford game will immediately follow at noon.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.