COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (April 8, 2026) – Laura Leigh Wheeler has been at the center of many dramatic wins for the University of North Alabama softball team this season — and today against Tennessee Tech was no different.
With the game tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, the senior outfielder hit an RBI double to score sophomore Kylei Russell for the go-ahead run. In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Kaylee Snyder closed it out and recorded the final two outs from the circle for a 4-3 midweek win in Cookeville, Tenn.
The Lions (28-8) needed just six hits to get the job done on Wednesday, as a trio of UNA pitchers limited the opposition to just three hits. Wheeler herself had three hits, including two doubles and a single. She also drove in three runs.
UNA is now riding a seven-game win streak — matching the longest this season. The last seven-game win streak came exactly one month ago with a doubleheader sweep of Detroit Mercy on March 8. UNA has now won nine of the last 10 games with the only loss coming to top-ranked Alabama.
Senior pitcher Emily Simon made her season debut on Wednesday, throwing three complete innings with just one run allowed on one hit with one walk. Simon, who has been recovering from injury, led the Lions with a 2.18 ERA in 80.1 innings last season.
Today was Simon's first appearance since April 27, 2025 against Eastern Kentucky.
Senior Rylee Tittle took over in the fourth and limited Tennessee Tech (13-22) to just two runs over 2.1 innings, while Snyder pitched 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings.
The first two runs for UNA came from the base running acumen of senior Gyvan Hammons and junior Briley Dover. Both players walked and Hammons stole second. With both on, the pair pulled off a double steal to get in scoring position. A wild pitch and fielder's choice allowed both to score.
An RBI groundout allowed Tennessee Tech to score a run to make it 2-1 in the second, but that was Simon's only run allowed.
UNA extended the lead with an RBI single from Wheeler in the fifth, scoring Dover for a second time. After TTU tied the game with two unearned runs in the sixth, Wheeler once again proved major in the seventh with a go-ahead RBI hit. Over the last four games, Wheeler is batting 8-for-11.
UNA's other three hits came from true freshman Karley Moreland and sophomores Holly Merritt and Emily Matthews. Matthews, who got the start at catcher on Wednesday, hit her first collegiate triple with a ball in the left-center gap.
Pitchers of Record
W – Kaylee Snyder(5-2)
L – Ella Wampler (0-1)
S – None
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions will continue Atlantic Sun Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Eastern Kentucky. The series begins with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 11 at 12 p.m. CT and ends with Sunday's finale — same start time.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
