LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 28, 2026) – Ten years ago, history was made with an 18-run inning.
Today, the University of North Alabama softball team reminded fans of that feeling with its highest-scoring inning since then with a Division I record 14 runs scored against Bellarmine. This headlined a 10-0 and 17-6 doubleheader sweep of the Knights on Saturday in Atlantic Sun Conference action from Louisville, Ky.
The original record of 18 was scored by the 2016 team in the Gulf South Conference Championship against Valdosta State, where UNA won 19-9. That team went on to win the 2016 NCAA Division II National Championship, coached by Ashley Cozart and Whitney Hawkins.
Those two coaches were on the bench today, along with first-year hitting coach Greg Larnerd, to witness the program's best offensive inning since then — the best of the Division I era. It ended with 14 runs on 11 hits, then led to a season-high 17 runs and 17 hits from 15 different players.
North Alabama (23-8, 6-2 ASUN) started the day with a 10-0 shutout that included early scoring and a combined shutout from seniors Alivia Wilken and Rylee Tittle. The second game started with a 3-0 lead for Bellarmine (10-22, 3-5 ASUN), but swiftly turned into another blowout win by the Lions.
UNA extended a long winning-streak in the all-time series, as the Lions have won 16-straight games against the Knights. This includes a 14-0 record since both moved to the Division I level. Bellarmine has not defeated UNA since 2009.
The Lions retain their lead in the ASUN Gold Division standings alongside EKU, which took two from Lipscomb on Saturday.
Game 1: North Alabama 10, Bellarmine 0 (5 innings)
The Lions dominated from start to finish in Saturday's opener, scoring three runs within the first three at-bats, seven over the first two innings and three more in the fifth to cruise to a 10-0 victory.
True freshman Karley Moreland had her first career multi-homer game with a solo shot in the first inning and a three-run shot in the fifth. Her fifth-inning homer put UNA in a position to win by mercy rule in the fifth inning.
While the offense tacked on 11 hits and scored in double figures for the fifth time this season, the pitching was equally solid with a combined shutout. Wilken got the start and allowed just two hits over three innings, while Tittle finished off the final two with no hits or runs allowed.
Neither UNA pitcher allowed a walk and both had three strikeouts apiece.
The first three at-bats set the tone for the whole game, as senior Gyvan Hammons drew a four-pitch walk, junior Briley Dover singled into left field and fellow junior Bayleigh Rouse smashed a three-run homer. Moreland's homer later in the inning made it 4-0.
UNA tacked on three runs in the second inning to make it 7-0, including a single by Natalie Shaw that allowed Emma Kate Wright to score on an errant throw. Wright reached with a leadoff double. Following a pitching change after the fifth run, UNA had back-to-back doubles from Dover and sophomore Holly Merritt to increase the lead.
While the UNA pitchers kept runners away from scoring position, the offense held comfortably to the 7-0 lead. Merritt led off the fifth inning with a single into right field, then moved up on a single the other way by senior Laura Leigh Wheeler. This brought up Moreland for her second homer of the day — a three-run shot to left center.
Tittle retired three in a row to preserve the shutout, including two groundouts and a strikeout.
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (9-4)
L – Makenzie Cowburn (4-9)
S – None
Game 2: North Alabama 17, Bellarmine 6 (5 innings)
Bellarmine took an early 3-0 lead and added three more in the late innings, but it was no match for the 14-run rally by UNA in the third inning that led to a 17-6 series-clinching victory.
Twenty batters stepped up to the plate for UNA in the third inning, combining for 11 hits. All nine batters reached at least once in the inning. Perhaps the most impressive detail from the record-breaking inning was how much occurred with two outs. UNA added nine hits and scored 11 of the 14 runs after the second out was recorded.
Down 3-0, the Lions started the frame with a walk by Shaw. Freshman Claire Wright subbed in as the pinch runner and scored on a single by Dover. Then Rouse brought home Hammons and Dover with a two-RBI single to tie it. Bellarmine got two outs and allowed a fielder's choice reach after that, but then, a new rally started.
Emma Kate Wright started it with the go-ahead RBI single to score Rouse, then sophomore Jenna Madison scored Merritt to make it 5-3. Shaw brought in two more with a single to centerfield, Dover drove her home with a double and Rouse added two more with a single to left field to make it 10-3.
Merritt and Wheeler hit back-to-back singles to move everyone up a station and load the bases. Then Moreland chopped one to shortshop and induced an error to brin home two more runs. Then Wright had her second hit of the inning with an RBI triple to score Moreland and Wheeler.
Bellarmine, which subbed out Lele Bennett midway through the third inning, subbed her back in to get the final out of the frame. The Knights had a three-run fourth inning to try to rally back, but it would not be enough.
UNA tacked on three more in the fifth with a homer from Merritt and RBI singles from pinch hitters Jorja Roberson and Kylei Russell. They were joined by freshman Livy Huter and junior Hailey Minchew in the hit column to give UNA 12 players with at least one hit.
Senior Katie Simon got the start and pitched three innings. She picked up her ninth win of the season to tie Wilken for the team lead. Sophomore Kaylee Snyder pitched the fourth with one earned run allowed, while Tittle had a shutout fifth to close it out.
Pitchers of Record
W – Katie Simon (9-2)
L – Lele Bennett (5-8)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions will go for the sweep tomorrow at 12 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
