DELAND, Fla. -- Down to its last strike in the bottom of the seventh inning, the University of North Alabama softball team rallied to force extra innings and went on to a 5-4 win over Jacksonville in an ASUN Conference Tournament play-in game. With the win, the Lions advance in the ASUN Tournament to face FGCU on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.

The Lions' season was one strike away from ending when Gracie Benton doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and UNA trailing 4-3. Haven Kirby followed with an RBI-single and the game went to extra innings.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the 10th inning when Danielle Taitt singles, Mackenzie Patterson walked and Felicity Frame walked to load the bases with one out.Sidney Bevis then delivered a game-winning single to score pinch runner Jessie Baughan with the winning run.  

Despite out-hitting Jacksonville 18-9, UNA struggled to score runs and left 11 runners on base
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With the win, North Alabama is one of just six teams left competing for the 2023 ASUN title.

After coming on in the third inning, UNA pitcher Elena Escobar (11-4) pitched seven and two-thirds innings to get the win, allowing two runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Jacksonville scored a run in the top of the first inning on a combination of two walks and a single.

A solo home run from Madison Kennedy to leadoff the second inning gave the Dolphins a 2-0 lead.

UNA tied the game in the bottom of the second with two runs of its own. Taylor Brown walked and Taitt followed with a single. A Patterson loaded the bases and Bevis delivered a clutch two-out, two-run single to center field to tie the game.

Allison Bratek homered for Jacksonville in the top of the fifth to put the Dolphins back on top 3-2 but UNA again answered with a un in the bottom of the inning.

Georgia Land and Garcie Benton both singled and a Taylor Brown single tied the game. The Lions had a chance for more but Jacksonville was able to turn a double play and get out of a bases loaded jam.

JU went back on top 4-3 in the top of the sixth as Alison Carter doubled and later stole home.  

With her game-winning single in the 10th and two-run single in the second, Bevis has now driven in 22 runs with two outs this season, by far the most by anyone on the team.

This is the third time in UNA's four all-time ASUN Tournament appearances that the Lions have won their opening round game.

In Wednesday's first game, Austin Peay will play Jacksonville State at 9:00 a.m.

The winner of the UNA-FGCU will play either Liberty or Central Arkansas on Thursday.


Sidney Bevis delivered the game-winning hit for North Alabama