MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (March 2, 2024) – For the first time this season, the University of North Alabama softball team has a chance to sweep an entire round robin tournament, as the Lions moved two steps closer to that goal with wins over Middle Tennessee State and Army on Saturday in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Following wins over Bradley and Army to open the MTSU Invitational yesterday, the Lions tacked on another with a 6-1 win over the hosting Blue Raiders. In a rematch with Army, the Lions eeked out a 1-0 win over the Black Knights behind seventh inning heroics from senior catcher Grace Piotrowski.
The fourth-year senior made her first start Saturday and had the go-ahead RBI double to break a scoreless tie in the seventh inning. In the circle, redshirt freshman Kyleigh Pitzer got the start and earned her first win with a complete game shutout, stranding the tying run at third with a game-ending strikeout.
UNA had 15 hits over the two games, including four hits from senior Sidney Bevis — a local product from Wilson High School. True freshman Briley Dover and junior transfer Lillyanna Cartee represented the corner infield with a pair of three-hit days over the two games.
Game 1 —North Alabama 6, MTSU 1
A three-run third inning and stellar pitching from junior ace Alivia Wilken allowed UNA to defeat its third opponent in two days, as the Lions dominated MTSU for a 6-1 victory.
The UNA bats totaled nine hits, including multi-hit days for Sidney Bevis, Lillyanna Cartee and Briley Dover. Tied 1-1 in the third inning, Dover drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-RBI single. All three players had one multi-base hit, along with Grace Gregory who doubled home Dover in the third.
UNA tacked on runs in the sixth and seventh inning while keeping MTSU off the board, including an RBI groundout by Hailey Jones and a pinch hit bloop single by senior Danielle Taitt facing her former team.
Wilken tossed her seventh complete game of the season, scattering five hits with just one run allowed on a solo homer. She walked one, but struck out a season-high seven batters.
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (7-2)
L – Keri Munn (0-1)
S – None
Game 2 — North Alabama 1, Army 0
Making her first start in the circle for UNA, Pitzer pitched like a cat with nine lives and completed the seven-inning shutout.
Army stranded at least one runner in every inning, but Pitzer and company shut down those threats every time. This includes the final inning, where a pair of defensive errors extended the game. With runners on the corners and two outs, Pitzer got a swinging strikeout to escape with a win.
Pitzer scattered six hits and three walks, while striking out three batters.
Offensively, UNA had chances in the first two innings and the sixth innings, but left runners on base each time. The seventh inning is where momentum shifted, as Cartee led off with a single and was replaced on the basepaths by McKenzie Patterson. A grounder by Gregory moved her over, setting up Piotrowski to drive her home for the lone run of the nightcap.
UNA had six hits, including two from Felicity Frame at the top of the order. Army's Amanda Eaglin suffered the loss despite a quality start with just one run allowed over seven innings.
Pitchers of Record
W – Kyleigh Pitzer (1-0)
L – Amanda Eaglin (0-7)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions wrap up tournament play Sunday at 11:30 a.m. against MTSU.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
