RICHMOND, Ky. (April 10, 2026) – The University of North Alabama softball team will play in one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the Atlantic Sun Conference weekend as the Lions battle Eastern Kentucky in the three-game set starting Saturday, April 11 in Richmond, Ky.
The first day of the series begins with a doubleheader Saturday, followed by a single game finale on Sunday. Both days will begin at 12 p.m. CT.
UNA has a 28-8 overall record and sit atop the ASUN Gold Division standings with a 10-2 record. Meanwhile, EKU is just 2.5 games back at 7-4 in conference play. The Colonels will also look to get back above .500 overall with an 18-19 record, including an 11-5 record at home.
The Saturday games will be streamed on ESPN+, while all three will have live stats. Sunday's game will not be streamed due to conflicting events.
SERIES INFO
Teams: North Alabama vs. Eastern Kentucky
Dates: April 11-12, 2026
Location: Richmond, Kentucky
Venue: Gertrude Hood Field
Game 1 —
ESPN+ |
Live Stats |
Tickets |
Game Notes
Game 2 —
ESPN+ |
Live Stats |
Tickets |
Game Notes
Game 3 — No Stream |
Live Stats |
Tickets |
Game Notes
NOTES
LAST TIME OUT: UNA continued a seven-game win streak with a 4-3 win at Tennessee Tech on Wednesday. This marked UNA's first trip to Cookeville since 1987, as the Lions are now 2-0 against the Golden Eagles on their home field. Senior outfielder
Laura Leigh Wheeler had the clutch hit with a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning.
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA has a 28-8 overall record for the highest win percentage in the ASUN and the fewest losses overall. Nationally, UNA ranks 17th in the NCAA with a 77.8 win percentage. This is tied for the third-best win percentage among mid-major schools in the country. The Lions are atop the ASUN Gold Division standings with a 10-2 record, owning a 2.5 game lead on EKU and Central Arkansas in second. The Lions are second in the league in batting average (.308), ERA (3.49) and fielding percentage (.969) while leading the ASUN with 6.55 runs per game.
MOVING UP THE RANKS: UNA is ranked in two national mid-major polls this week, moving up two spots to No. 22 in the D1Softball rankings. The Lions also debuted at No. 18 in the Softball America rankings this week, one spot ahead of Stetson. The top ranked team in both polls is Belmont, which UNA split with back in February with a 9-5 win and a 4-3 walk-off loss.
SOUCTING THE OPPONENT: EKU has an 18-19 overall record and sit 7-4 in ASUN play. The Colonels are coming off a 38-16 season that included a runner-up finish in the ASUN Championship. This year, EKU has series wins over Austin Peay, Bellarmine and Lipscomb and a two-game series loss last weekend at Central Arkansas. The Colonels are led by four players batting above .300, including veteran mainstays Kennedy Drafton and Jaelin Haynes. Junior Victoria Byrum and true freshman Bayle Hunnicutt are the leaders in the circle. Jane Worthington is in her 34th season.
SERIES HISTORY: UNA leads the series with a 9-7 record dating back to 2022. All 16 games have come since EKU joined the ASUN in 2022, but the first meeting was a non-conference neutral site game at Alabama State, which UNA won 8-2. The Lions and Colonels have played five series against each other with UNA winning the first two and EKU winning each of the last three. The Lions have one at least one game in every series. UNA has the only sweep in the all-time series, coming once in 2022 in Richmond.
LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS: UNA and EKU met six times last season with EKU taking four of the six with a pair of series wins. The first series happened in Richmond, as the Lions took the opener with a thrilling 2-1 win. This was
Ashley Cozart's 600th career win as a head coach and snapped an 18-game win streak for EKU. The Colonels won the last two to take the series. Later that season in Florence, the Lions took game one before EKU took the final two games.
WELCOME BACK SIMON: Senior pitcher
Emily Simon was voted the ASUN Preseason Co-Pitcher of the Year alongside her teammate
Alivia Wilken back in February. While Wilken has been the go-to ace this season, Simon has been out with injury. After missing the last 40 games dating back to last season, Simon made her first appearance of 2026 at Tennessee Tech on Wednesday and pitched 3.0 innings with just one run and one hit allowed.
PITCHING PRODIGIES: UNA ranks second in the ASUN with a 3.49 ERA between five pitchers, primarily behind the efforts of Wilken and senior
Katie Simon — the twin of Emily. Wilken has an 11-4 record and 2.68 ERA over 86.1 innings with 16 walks and 56 strikeouts. Simon has a 10-2 record with a 3.47 ERA and 74.2 innings pitched. Senior
Rylee Tittle has gotten some recent starts, owning a 3.53 ERA over 39.2 innings. Sophomore
Kaylee Snyder has made 14 appearances with a 5-2 record and 28.2 innings pitched.
WHEELING AND DEALING: Senior
Laura Leigh Wheeler has been on an offensive tear the last four games, batting 9-for-12 with three doubles and five RBI, including three RBI in the 4-3 win over Tennessee Tech. In the last four games, including a three-game sweep of Lipscomb, she has raised her batting average from .330 to .377.
OFFENSIVE BALANCE: All five hitters at the top of UNA's lineup are batting over .300 this season, led by junior
Briley Dover at .386, Wheeler at .377 and sophomore
Holly Merritt at .375. Those three have combined for 24 homers, 24 doubles and 99 RBI this season. Senior leadoff
Gyvan Hammons and junior three-hole hitter
Bayleigh Rouse are both above .300 with over 30 hits. The bottom of the order has also been crucial, including senior catcher
Natalie Shaw in the nine-hole. Despite batting ninth, Shaw leads the team with a .494 on-base percentage and is batting a respectable .276 average to rank among the top nine-spot hitters in the ASUN.
ASUN ROUNDUP: UNA and Austin Peay completed three-game sweeps in the ASUN Gold Division last weekend, while Central Arkansas took two from EKU in a shortened two-game series ended by weather. In the other division, North Florida took two of three from Queens, while Stetson maintained its lead in the ASUN Graphite Division with a dominant sweep of West Georgia. Jacksonville took two of three from FGCU to wrap up last week's action.
ON THE HORIZON: While the Lions are playing EKU, Bellarmine will host Central Arkansas just a few hours away in Louisville. Lipscomb makes the short trip to Austin Peay for an in-state battle. In the Graphite Division, West Georgia will welcome FGCU, Jacksonville will head to Queens and current division leader Stetson will travel up to defending champion North Florida.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
