TROY, Ala. (February 7, 2025) – The University of North Alabama softball team improved to a 3-1 record with a split day in the Trojan Classic on Saturday, defeating Southern by a 16-4 final in six innings before falling 10-2 to host school Troy later in the afternoon.
North Alabama (3-1) opened with a three-game win streak for the fourth straight season, continuing a run of season-opening success under head coach Ashley Cozart. In the win over Southern, the Lions totaled 14 hits from 10 different players. Meanwhile, sophomore pitcher Kaylee Snyder picked up her first win in the circle with no earned runs against her.
In the second game, the Lions trailed 4-2 in the sixth inning, but Troy rattled off six runs to win 10-2.
Over the last five seasons, the Lions have a combined record of 18-2 in the first four games of those seasons. Troy was the spoiler in both losses, including a 2-1 loss in extra innings in 2024. UNA also defeated Troy by a 7-4 final in that 2024 tournament for a split.
The Trojans improve to 3-0 with the win, while the Jaguars finished their opening day at 0-2.
Game 1: North Alabama 16, Southern 4 (6 innings)
UNA led wire-to-wire in the Saturday morning opener against Southern, taking a 3-0 lead just four batters into the opening frame. The lead later grew to 5-1 and got as close as 6-4, but the Lions posted a 10 run sixth-inning to force the mercy rule in a 16-4 victory.
The Lions out-hit Southern by a 14-6 total, marking the most hits for UNA since Feb. 8, 2025 against Nicholls State with 18 hits — almost exactly one year ago. Four Lions had multi-hit days led by a career-high three-hit day for junior Bayleigh Rouse. She went 3-for-3 with three singles, a walk, two runs and two RBI.
Sophomore Holly Merritt and junior Briley Dover had two-hit days, including a pair of doubles from Merritt. Dover scored four runs — the most for her since that Nicholls State game last season where she went 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle.
Senior Laura Leigh Wheeler hit her second homer of the season on Saturday — a two-run shot to mount a 3-0 lead in the opening frame. Dover and Rouse had back-to-back RBI singles — the second RBI hit of the day for Rouse — to make it 5-1 in the second frame.
Two newcomers had their first hits as Lions on Saturday, including an RBI single from junior Hailey Minchew in the fifth to make it 6-4. In the sixth inning, UNA posted 10 runs and made quite a few substitutions. True freshman Maggie Olsen took advantage of her first opportunity and hit a two-RBI single for the final two runs.
Another true freshman, former Brooks High School standout Karley Moreland, had an RBI groundout in that stretch for her first collegiate RBI. A couple of batters prior, sophomore Kylei Russell pinch hit for Emma Kate Wright and hit a single in her first at-bat of 2026.
In the circle, former Deshler pitcher and UT Martin transfer Rylee Tittle got the start. After two innings, sophomore Kaylee Snyder took over and finished the final four innings with just one run allowed — unearned. The pair combined for six strikeouts and just six hits allowed. UNA also took advantage of six Southern errors while UNA just had one.
Pitchers of Record
W – Kaylee Snyder (1-0)
L – Jordynn Jennings (0-1)
S – None
Game 2: Troy 10, North Alabama 2 (6 innings)
Despite being run-ruled, UNA's game with Troy was tight most of the way until the bottom of the sixth inning. In fact, Dover and Minchew helped close the gap to 4-2 in the top of the sixth with a Dover solo homer and a Minchew RBI single.
However, Troy pulled away in the final half inning with six runs to end it.
Hits were hard to come by early, as Wheeler hit a double in the fourth inning to break up a no-hitter from Abby Lovell. The Lions went on to finish with five hits, including two from Wheeler and one each from Minchew, Dover and Rouse.
Pitchers of Record
W – Abby Lovell (1-0)
L – Alivia Wilken (1-1)
S – Ella Cunningham (1)
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions wrap up the 2026 Trojan Classic on Sunday against Middle Tennessee at 11:30 a.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
