Wright
Drew Barton
6
North Alabama UNA 28-9, 10-3 ASUN
7
Winner Eastern Kentucky University EKU 19-19, 8-4 ASUN
North Alabama UNA
28-9, 10-3 ASUN
6
Final
7
Eastern Kentucky University EKU
19-19, 8-4 ASUN
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
North Alabama UNA 0 0 0 3 2 0 1 6 9 1
Eastern Kentucky University EKU 0 1 1 0 3 2 X 7 10 1

W: Vigansky, Tayteum (7-2) L: Tittle, Rylee (2-1)

0
North Alabama UNA 28-10, 10-4 ASUN
5
Winner Eastern Kentucky University EKU 20-19, 9-4 ASUN
North Alabama UNA
28-10, 10-4 ASUN
0
Final
5
Eastern Kentucky University EKU
20-19, 9-4 ASUN
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
North Alabama UNA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
Eastern Kentucky University EKU 0 0 3 0 1 1 X 5 6 0

W: Byrum, Victoria (7-10) L: Simon, Katie (10-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball drops doubleheader in tough road matchup at EKU

Lions remain atop ASUN Gold Division with 10-4 record

RICHMOND, Ky. (April 11, 2026) – The University of North Alabama softball team lost an Atlantic Sun Conference series for the first time this season, ending an eight-game win streak in conference play with 7-6 and 5-0 defeats to Eastern Kentucky on Saturday in Richmond, Ky.

Last season, UNA won the series opener in Richmond to snap an 18-game winning streak for the Colonels. This time, EKU was the streak snapper. In addition to the eight-game ASUN streak, EKU also ended a seven-game overall win streak for the Lions. This was tied for the longest of the season.

The Lions retain a half-game lead in the ASUN Gold Division standings at 28-10 overall and 10-4 in league play. The Colonels improve to 20-19 overall and 9-4 in league play, remaining in a tie for second with Central Arkansas. The Bears won two at Bellarmine on Saturday.

The opener was competitive throughout, as UNA led the middle innings before EKU took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. The nightcap was all EKU despite a similar hit total for both teams. UNA allowed just two earned runs in the second loss.

In the series opener, senior Laura Leigh Wheeler hit an RBI single in the fifth inning for her 100th career hit as a Lion. She has been with the program for two seasons and has hit just above a .370 batting average both seasons — .372 in 2025 and .376 currently this season.
 


Game 1: EKU 7, North Alabama 6

There were three lead changes in a highly-entertaining series opener, as a two-run homer by Kennedy Drafton in the sixth inning led EKU to a 7-6 win. True freshman Karley Moreland had a two-out solo homer in the seventh to keep it alive, but a flyout after that ended the game.

Despite the loss, UNA hit three home runs in the opener. In addition to Moreland's late homer, UNA had back-to-back blasts from Briley Dover and Bayleigh Rouse. This came in the fourth inning when UNA was down 2-0, as Dover hit a two-run shot to tie it. Rouse golfed one over and off the roof of a building in left-center to make it 3-2.

UNA added two more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Dover to score freshman Claire Wright and Wheeler's single to score Gyvan Hammons. Hammons ran from second and had very little time to beat the throw, but it was off-line and she slid in safely.

The Colonels rallied in the fifth to tie it with three runs, then used Drafton's two out homer to take the lead in the sixth. Drafton, who went 4-for-4 in the opener, was a first team all-conference selection for EKU last season and earned all-freshman team honors in 2024.

Fifth-year senior Alivia Wilken got the start and pitched five innings, only allowing two runs before the fifth inning. Fellow senior Rylee Tittle came in for the sixth and only gave up one hit — the homer. She was charged her first loss of the year to fall to 2-1 but retains a 3.82 ERA.

EKU opted to use both starters in the opener with Bayle Hunnicutt and Victoria Byrum giving up the five runs over 5.2 combined innings. Redshirt junior Tayteum Vigansky has been the primary closer for the Colonels and finished the game with one run allowed for the win.
 

Pitchers of Record
W – Tayteum Vigansky (7-2)
L – Rylee Tittle (2-1)
S – None
 


Game 2: Eastern Kentucky 5, North Alabama 0

The Colonels locked up the series with a 5-0 win in the nightcap, scoring three unearned runs in the third, adding another on a bang-bang play at the plate in the fifth and a solo homer in the sixth.

The Lions totaled five hits in the effort, led by junior Emma Kate Wright with two hits — both doubles. Dover, Wheeler and senior catcher Natalie Shaw had the others. EKU finished with six hits.

Senior Katie Simon pitched all six innings and allowed just two earned runs with one walk and seven strikeouts. The strikeout total is one shy of her season high set against Loyola Chicago on Feb. 20. She suffers just her third loss of the season with a 10-3 record.

Today marks just the fourth time UNA has been shutout this season — the others coming to top-ranked Alabama, mid-major ranked South Alabama and the one loss to Austin Peay in a series win for the Lions.

Junior pitcher Victoria Byrum had the 7.0 inning shutout for her seventh shutout appearance of the season.
 

Pitchers of Record
W – Victoria Byrum (7-10)
L – Katie Simon (10-3)
S – None
 


COMING UP NEXT

The Lions look to salvage the series tomorrow at 12 p.m. CT.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

 

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