CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (March 22, 2026) – Two weekends, two series wins.
The University of North Alabama softball team made a statement in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Sunday, finishing off a series win at Austin Peay with a 5-4 victory in the rubber match at Cathi Maynard Park in Clarksville, Tenn.
UNA improves to 21-7 overall and 4-2 in ASUN play, owning a pair of impressive series wins over Central Arkansas and Austin Peay. The Govs, who entered the weekend with a perfect record at home, ended a 10-game home winning streak with two losses to the Lions. They drop to 19-13 overall and 2-4 to start ASUN play.
There were multiple heroes for North Alabama in a well-rounded effort on Sunday. The two key moments in the seventh inning came from junior third baseman Bayleigh Rouse and senior pitcher Alivia Wilken.
Rouse hit a two-out RBI single to score senior Natalie Shaw for the go-ahead run. She was 0-for-3 on the day entering this at-bat, but poked a single into right field to bring home Shaw, who reached on a walk and continues to rank among the nation's leaders with 21 walks in 24 games.
After a one-hit shutout of the Govs yesterday, Wilken returned to the circle for game three and never left it. She gave up a first inning single, but retired 12 straight after that. The batter that reached on the single was out on the same play trying to slide into second, giving the feel of 14 straight retired.
Austin Peay answered with two homers in the fifth and sixth innings, including a game-tying three-run shot from ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Brie Howard to make it 4-4. Wilken recovered by sitting down the next four in order, forcing APSU into their final out. Despite a single to survive, a lineout ended it and gave Wilken her second win of the weekend.
Other stars rose to the occasion on Sunday, including senior centerfielder Gyvan Hammons as the early contender for game MVP. She completed two web gems in the outfield — a diving catch to rob a single in the first and a leaping grab at the warning track to rob a multi-base hit. Hammons also hit her first homer of the season to make it 1-0 in the third. The hit sailed over the right-center wall.
Hammons also doubled in the fifth for a two-hit day. She scored one of three runs in the frame.
North Alabama finished with six hits on the day, including back-to-back-to-back doubles from Shaw, Hammons and junior infielder Briley Dover in the fifth. Shaw slugged home freshman Karley Moreland to make it 2-0, while Dover brought home two with her double to extend a 4-0 lead. Prior to those hits, the only run was from Hammons' solo shot in the third.
The three doubles are tied for the second-most in a game this season by the Lions. UNA had four doubles against Evansville in a 14-7 win on March 1.
Wilken was brilliant through 4.0 innings with just one hit and no true base runners allowed. A single and two homers, coupled with a defensive error in the infield, made the only blemishes in the run column. She completed 7.0 innings with three earned runs allowed on five hits, no walks and two strikeouts.
UNA's other hit came from junior Emma Kate Wright, who singled in the sixth. Wright also had two dangerous flyouts earlier in the game — one was robbed in centerfield of what looked like a homer and the other caught on the warning track.
The Lions had just one error today and have totaled just three errors in the last 11 games combined. UNA's .971 fielding percentage this season ranks second in the ASUN.
UNA now has a 7-4 record against the Govs when playing in Clarksville, picking up series wins in both 2023 and 2026. The Lions have an 11-8 lead in the all-time series and will welcome the Govs to Florence on April 18-19.
UNA is tied atop the ASUN Gold Division standings alongside EKU with matching 4-2 records.
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (8-3)
L – Cameron Grayson (5-6)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
UNA will play a midweek game at No. 4 Alabama on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Crimson Tide enters with a 29-2 record and will host Jacksonville State at 3:30 p.m. the same day as part of a two-team doubleheader.
Fans can watch the Lions play Alabama on SEC Network + or listen live to the hometown call on Roar Lions Productions. More information will be available Tuesday.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
