TROY, Ala. (February 8, 2026) – A successful weekend for the University of North Alabama softball team ended in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, as a late homer by Emma Kate Wright and bases loaded strikeout by Alivia Wilken secured a 4-2 victory over Middle Tennessee in neutral site action in Troy, Ala.
North Alabama closed the 2026 Trojan Classic with a 4-1 record, including two wins over MTSU and single victories over Southern and Chattanooga. The only loss came to host school Troy on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee (1-4) held a 2-0 lead for five innings while limiting the Lions to just two hits. In the circle for UNA was senior Katie Simon, who did her best to keep the Lions in striking distance with a quality start.
Then came the sixth inning — the turning point for UNA.
After Simon ended a perfect 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout in the top of the sixth, the UNA bats went to work. In the two hole, junior Briley Dover led off the inning with a single. She moved to third on a single through the right side by Bayleigh Rouse. Dover scored on a grounder by senior Laura Leigh Wheeler, which was thrown home but not in time.
Rouse was replaced on the base paths by true freshman Claire Wright, who represented the tying run on second. Wheeler stood on first. This brought up Emma Kate Wright with just one out in the inning. On the first pitch she saw, Wright rode it to deep center. The crowd reacted in suspense as the ball carried and eventually cleared the fence to make it a 4-2 lead for UNA.
Just three outs away from a win in the seventh, Simon returned to the circle and forced a pop out and a lineout to put UNA one out away. However, MTSU stayed alive with a pair of walks. This prompted UNA to opt for senior ace Alivia Wilken to close things out.
Simon's day ended with a stellar quality start, totaling 6.2 innings with just two runs allowed on six hits. The two walks in the seventh were the only ones she allowed all game. The Athens, Ala. native added four strikeouts. She was one out away from her fifth-career 7.0 inning game.
With the game on the line, the lefty Wilken provided a new look for MTSU's offense. Mady Pint was the first batter she faced, as Pint drew a full count and held off on a tempting pitch to load the bases with a walk.
With the bases loaded and two outs, the Blue Raiders had exactly who they wanted at the plate — 2025 First Team All-Conference senior catcher Ansley Blevins. She worked a 3-2 count on Wilken, but UNA's senior ace made her chase one high to end the game in dramatic fashion.
Today marked Wilken's third career save at UNA. The other two came in 2024 against Troy and EKU.
UNA finished the game with five hits, including a two-hit day from Dover. The Loretto, Tenn. native — who recently made the move from third base as a freshman to short stop as a sophomore and now to second base as a junior — was also busy at her new infield position with six putouts today.
Dover, Rouse and Wheeler all finished the weekend hitting above .400 with 22 combined hits. All three homered at least once with two from Wheeler. The trio also accounted for 14 of the team's 34 RBI on the weekend.
In five games at the Trojan Classic, UNA outscored its opponents by a combined 39-21. The Lions' pitching staff also combined for a 3.46 ERA — compared to the 6.33 ERA the offense handed its opponents.
Pitchers of Record
W – Katie Simon (2-0)
L – Braelyn Hall (0-1)
S – Alivia Wilken (1)
COMING UP NEXT
UNA will play in Birmingham next week at the Samford Tournament. The Lions will play two games against Lindenwood, two games against Belmont and one against Samford. The weekend begins Friday, Feb. 13 and ends Sunday, Feb. 15.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
