RICHMOND, Ky. (March 28, 2024) – Two of the top softball programs in the Atlantic Sun Conference will go head-to-head this weekend, as the University of North Alabama travels to Eastern Kentucky University for a three-game set on Friday and Saturday, March 29-30 in Richmond, Ky.
The Lions and Colonels both lead the league in overall wins with 24 apiece. The Colonels are riding a 15-game winning streak and will put their undefeated 10-0 home record on the line this weekend. Meanwhile, UNA is enjoying its own five-game win streak and has won 10 of the last 12 games.
The series begins Friday with a noon doubleheader and concludes Saturday at 11 a.m.
The games will not be streamed, but live stats are available for all three games. Fans are also encouraged to follow along on the UNA Softball
Facebook and
Twitter pages.
GAME 1
North Alabama at EKU
Friday, March 29
12 p.m.
Live Stats |
Tickets
GAME 2
North Alabama at EKU
Friday, March 29
2:30 p.m.
Live Stats |
Tickets
GAME 3
North Alabama at EKU
Saturday, March 30
11 a.m.
Live Stats |
Tickets
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: This past Sunday and Monday, UNA completed a shutout sweep of Queens with 6-0, 1-0 and 9-0 wins. The first game was a one-hit shutout from reigning ASUN Pitcher of the Week
Alivia Wilken, while the second one came in a tight game on a four-hit shutout from
Cassidy Duskin. Neither player allowed a walk on Sunday. In the finale, redshirt freshman
Kyleigh Pitzer took the circle and tossed another seven-inning shutout. UNA now ranks seventh in the nation with 11 shutouts this season.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA is 24-9 overall and 5-1 in the ASUN following the three-game sweep of Queens. The Lions rank second in the ASUN in both pitching and fielding with a 2.31 team ERA and .978 fielding percentage, while also ranking fourth in batting average with a collective .281.
Felicity Frame continues to lead the offense with a .434 average and 46 hits — both ASUN bests — while infield trio
Haven Kirby,
Briley Dover and
Hailey Jones have a combined 65 RBIs on 22 doubles, seven triples and 13 homers. Wilken continues to lead from the circle with an 11-4 record and 2.01 ERA over 103.0 innings.
SCOUTING THE COLONELS: EKU is having a historic season with a 24-4 overall record and a 6-0 mark in ASUN play following sweeps of defending champion Central Arkansas and Kennesaw State. The Colonels have won 15 straight at home and 15 straight overall — marking the second-longest streak in program history. EKU leads the ASUN in hitting with a .309 average and 175 runs scored, while also owning a 2.44 team ERA. Five starters are batting above .300, while freshman Maddi Rutan is batting .299 and pitching lights out with a 13-2 record and 1.19 ERA.
SERIES HISTORY: UNA and EKU has battled seven times — all within the last two seasons. UNA has the 6-1 edge, including a neutral site win on March 4, 2022 in Montgomery. Later that season, UNA went to EKU and completed a three-game sweep at Gertrude Hood Field. Last season in Florence, EKU got the first win to open an April Fool's weekend, but the Lions took the series with two wins after that.
LET THE VETS COOK: The Lions are led by 11th year head coach
Ashley Cozart, who owns 566 career wins with 375 of those at UNA. She is the fourth-longest tenured coach at UNA behind Kristin Ryman at Lipscomb with 19 seasons, David Deiros at FGCU with 21 seasons and EKU's Jane Worthington with 32 seasons. Worthington is closing in on her 900th win — all at EKU since starting the program in 1993.
WEEKLY WILKEN: Wilken is the reigning ASUN Pitcher of the Week following her one-hitter at Queens. Wilken made a splash in her UNA debut, tossing the first perfect game in school history against Samford. Since then, she has taken the nation and ASUN by storm — leading the league in innings pitched with 103.0, shutouts with six and strikeout-to-walk ratio with 4.87.
FELICITY IS FLUENCY: After leading the ASUN in hitting last season, Frame is on pace to do it again. Her 46 hits this season ranks atop the league and 14th in the nation, while her batting average is also atop the league and 40th nationally. She gets on base at a .483 clip to rank third in the ASUN and is third in scoring with 0.85 runs per game.
DOUBLE VISION: The Lions are 27th in the nation and first in the ASUN with 50 doubles this season, including nine apiece from Kirby and Jones in the middle infield. First baseman
Lillyanna Cartee has six doubles, while Dover has four.
OUT HERE IN THE FIELD: The Lions slipped a bit in the fielding percentage rankings this week but still remain among the nation's best with a .978 to rank 14th nationally and second in the league behind North Florida at .980. UNA has committed just 21 errors over 33 games this season, while UNA's opponents have committed 46 errors. Additionally, UNA has turned 12 double plays while only hitting into two.
ON THE HORIZON: UNA will leave one marquee ASUN series for another next weekend, as the Lions welcome FGCU to Florence on April 6-7 at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium. Like EKU, the Eagles are currently 6-0 in ASUN play and are 23-11 overall.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
