FLORENCE, Ala. (March 4, 2026) – The University of North Alabama softball team remained unbeaten at home and extended its win streak to five with a dominant sweep of Oakland University on Wednesday at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium in Florence.
The Lions improve to a 15-4 record and have won 10 of the last 11 games.
Wednesday's doubleheader came as a surprise announcement on Tuesday, as Oakland (8-8) was originally scheduled to play in Maryland. After those games got canceled, the Golden Grizzlies accepted an invite to play in Florence. UNA did not have any games scheduled until Saturday.
The first game proved to be one of the shortest in school history, ending in just one hour and two minutes. The Lions used a nine-run first inning to take a 9-0 victory. The next game only required two innings of scoring, as UNA scored two in the first and five in the second for a 7-1 victory in the nightcap.
Sophomore Holly Merritt was the star of the show, smacking three homers and driving in seven runs. Merritt has collected 14 RBI over the last four games and ranks second in the Atlantic Sun Conference with 29 this season.
UNA improves to a 6-0 record in the all-time series with Oakland. This includes a four-game sweep of the Golden Grizzlies last season in Florence.
Game 1: North Alabama 9, Oakland 0 (5 innings)
UNA got all the run production it needed in the first inning, cruising to a 9-0 win.
Senior Alivia Wilken twirled her second shutout of the season, giving up just four hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Her first shutout this season came against West Georgia on Feb. 21. This is also her third complete game without any earned runs allowed this season.
While Wilken was dealing in the circle, UNA batted 12 times in the first inning to record nine runs on seven hits. The Lions did not have any more hits beyond the first inning — nor did they need any.
Senior outfielder Gyvan Hammons started the rally with a leadoff single and then stole second base. She scored on a two-run homer by sophomore first baseman Holly Merritt in the three hole.
Fresh off a homer in her first career at-bat on Sunday, true freshman Karley Moreland earned her first collegiate start at second base and batted in the six spot. She hit an RBI single to score Laura Leigh Wheeler and make it 3-0. Senior Jorja Roberson continued the scoring with a two-RBI double to bring home Moreland and junior Emma Kate Wright.
A fielding error by Oakland — the only one for either team in the two games — extended UNA's lead to 6-0. After batting back around, infielder Briley Dover smacked a three-run homer to score Roberson and Hammons and make it 9-0.
After surrendering four singles, Wilken retired seven straight for the win. Oakland also worked quick, allowing the game to finish in just 62 minutes.
Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (5-3)
L – Mary Newton (4-3)
S – None
Game 2: North Alabama 7, Oakland 1
Behind more early offense and strong pitching from senior Katie Simon and sophomore Kaylee Snyder, the Lions locked up the sweep with a 7-1 win in the second game.
Simon improved to a perfect 7-0 record with 5.0 innings of work. She allowed just one run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Snyder entered with the lead in hand, closing out the final two innings without a run or hit allowed. She had just one runner reach on a walk, but erased it with a game-ending groundout two pitches later.
Merritt homered back-to-back games in her first plate appearances, pulling another two-run shot to right field to score Dover and make it 2-0. In the second inning, Roberson homered to score herself and true freshman Livy Huter and make it 4-0. Merritt completed the trifecta with a three-run shot in the second inning.
Oakland's lone run came on a solo homer in the fourth.
Pitchers of Record
W – Katie Simon (7-0)
L – Jessica Nelson (3-1)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions continue a seven-game home stand against Detroit Mercy on Saturday at 12 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
