2
Southern Arkansas SAUSB 53-11
10
Winner North Alabama UNA 58-6
Southern Arkansas SAUSB
53-11
2
Final
10
North Alabama UNA
58-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Southern Arkansas SAUSB 0 1 0 1 0 2 4 3
North Alabama UNA 0 0 3 7 X 10 10 0

W: Carpenter, Hillary (31-3) L: Kaylee Garner (25-4)

Next Game:

vs. Humboldt State

5/20/2016 | 5:15 PM (MST)

97.1 WBCF

Next Game

Full Schedule
May. 20 (Fri) / 5:15 PM (MST)
vs. Humboldt State
History

Game Recap: Softball |

LIONS ADVANCE TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

DENVER, Colo. – The University of North Alabama softball team will play for the 2016 National Championship. Using a seven-run fourth inning, the Lions defeated Southern Arkansas 10-2 in five innings to advance to the title series, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. (CST).
 
UNA (58-6) will play the winner of the Armstrong State/Humboldt State game that will be played Friday at 1 p.m. An AASU victory earlier on Thursday forced the 'if necessary' game between the two teams.
 
"Wow! I run out of things to say about this team," said UNA head coach Ashley Cozart. "It's been so emotional. These girls just are not ready to quit. They just continue to fight whether we are up or down. Today, we just got huge hits when we needed them."
 
Against SAU, the Lions were able to overcome a 1-0 deficit for the second straight game. After the Muleriders plated a single run in the top of the second inning, the UNA bats came alive in the bottom of the third.
 
Courtney Shields sparked a three-run inning with a solo home run. After a slow start that included five hit batters and two walks, Hillary Carpenter settled down to record the four-hit victory. She struck out five batters and ran her school-record season win total to 31-3.
 
"I knew that I had to get ground balls," said Carpenter. "I just let my defense work because they always back me up. I'm obviously not a strikeout pitcher, so I just let the players behind me get the outs. It's so good to be on a team that has this defense and had these bats. It's amazing to know I can have some hit batters and walks and not have my best game and we can still come out and run-rule a team."
 
At the plate, Harlie Barkley was 2-for-3 with three RBI. She drove in all three runs on a bases-loaded triple to right center to break the game open.
 
Reagan Tittle also drove in two runs and finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate. Peyton DeLong was also 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
The Muleriders struck first with a single run in the top of the second inning. Tyler Casada's double down the right line gave SAU a 1-0 lead.
 
UNA answered in the bottom of the third when Shields connected on a solo homer to dead center. After a walk by Brooklynn Clark and a single by Barkley, Anna Gayle Norris moved both runners into scoring position with a ground out. Tittle then delivered on a two-out single to left field that scored both runners to make the score 3-1.
 
In the top of the fourth, Chelsea Jordan gave the Muleriders a two-out run of their own with a solo homer to left field to pull SAU to within a single run.
 
The Lions, however, erupted in the bottom of the frame, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring all seven runs with two outs. Clark drew a two-out walk to load the bases and set the stage for Barkley's big hit. The triple to the left center gap cleared the bases and gave UNA a 6-2 lead.
 
"I was just looking to put something in the gap," said Barkley. I was trying to get a good hit and score as many runners as I could."
 
The Lions were not finished yet.
 
SAU relief pitcher Peyton Jenkins surrendered three straight hits, including RBI-singles by Norris and Madeline Lee. Lee reached third before DeLong infield single scored the winning run to give the Lions another mercy-rule victory.
 
Following Game 1 of the championship series on Friday, the second game is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. A third game would immediately follow if necessary.
 
"This season has been so much fun," added Barkley, who is the team's lone four-year letterman. "I could not have asked for a better senior year. We have had good teams all four years I have been here, but it is nothing like this."


 
2664
UNA head coach Ashley Cozart, (Center) along with Hillary Carpenter (left) and Harlie Barkley address the media during the post-game press conference.
  
2665
Courtney Shields connects on a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning.
  
2667
Danielle Cruickshank celebrates after scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth inning against Southern Arkansas.
  
2663
Hillary Carpenter high fives teammates and coach before taking the circle in the second inning against Southern Arkansas.
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Players Mentioned

Harlie Barkley

#2 Harlie Barkley

IF
5' 3"
Senior
R-R
Hillary Carpenter

#1 Hillary Carpenter

P
5' 5"
Junior
L-L
Reagan Tittle

#22 Reagan Tittle

SS
5' 7"
Sophomore
R-R
Courtney Shields

#7 Courtney Shields

OF
5' 10"
Senior
L-R
Madeline Lee

#12 Madeline Lee

IF
5' 5"
Senior
R-R
Peyton DeLong

#10 Peyton DeLong

UT
5' 5"
Senior
R-R
Brooklynn Clark

#8 Brooklynn Clark

1B
5' 10"
Senior
L-L
Anna Gayle Norris

#26 Anna Gayle Norris

1B
6' 0"
Junior
L-L
Danielle Cruickshank

#3 Danielle Cruickshank

OF
5' 9"
Junior
R-R

Players Mentioned

Harlie Barkley

#2 Harlie Barkley

5' 3"
Senior
R-R
IF
Hillary Carpenter

#1 Hillary Carpenter

5' 5"
Junior
L-L
P
Reagan Tittle

#22 Reagan Tittle

5' 7"
Sophomore
R-R
SS
Courtney Shields

#7 Courtney Shields

5' 10"
Senior
L-R
OF
Madeline Lee

#12 Madeline Lee

5' 5"
Senior
R-R
IF
Peyton DeLong

#10 Peyton DeLong

5' 5"
Senior
R-R
UT
Brooklynn Clark

#8 Brooklynn Clark

5' 10"
Senior
L-L
1B
Anna Gayle Norris

#26 Anna Gayle Norris

6' 0"
Junior
L-L
1B
Danielle Cruickshank

#3 Danielle Cruickshank

5' 9"
Junior
R-R
OF