FLORENCE, Ala. (May 1, 2026) – The University of North Alabama softball team celebrated a pair of dominant shutout victories to open the final weekend of the regular season, blanking Bellarmine by 9-0 and 4-0 final scores on Friday in Florence.

Seniors Alivia Wilken and Katie Simon both pitched complete game shutouts to clinch the series, allowing just five combined hits. Wilken had a two-hitter in the five-inning run rule victory to open the series, then Simon threw a three-hitter in the seven-inning clincher.

The offense also shined with 21 hits over the two games, including 13 hits in the opener. The Lions used a seven-run fifth inning to end the first game in walk-off fashion, finishing with a home run by sophomore Holly Merritt. The second game saw four runs cross on eight hits.

With a run in the second game, junior Briley Dover set the Division I school record for runs in a season. She now has 51 runs scored this year, passing Harley Stokes who had 50 runs in 60 games in 2022. Dover broke the record in just 48 games. The all-time record is held by Bailey Nelson with 75 run over 65 games in 2016.

With the wins and two losses from EKU on Friday, UNA did itself some favors as far as Atlantic Sun Conference seeding. The Lions are guaranteed a top four seed in next week's ASUN Championship to be hosted by North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. The top four seeds are automatically entered into the double-elimination portion of the tournaments.

The Lions improved to 34-14 overall and 16-7 in league play, which guarantees second place in the ASUN Gold Division. Central Arkansas finished the season 16-6-1 and clinched the division with a sweep of Lipscomb today.

Bellarmine falls to 12-37 overall and 5-16 in the conference. The Knights are eliminated from postseason contention.

Before today's game, UNA First Lady Dena Kitts threw out the first pitch. Her husband, UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts, officiated a graduation ceremony for the softball program after the second game on Friday. Five seniors received their degrees today — Gyvan Hammons, Natalie Shaw, Jorja Roberson, Rylee Tittle and Laura Leigh Wheeler.
 

Game 1: North Alabama 9, Bellarmine 0 (5 innings)

Wilken allowed just two baserunners in her five innings of work in the opener, both coming on singles. She did not walk anyone and struck out four hitters. From the first to fifth innings, she retired 12 straight batters between the two singles. Bellarmine left just one runner on base, as Shaw lasered down the first one attempting to steal second.

While Wilkens did her thing in the circle, the offense sparked in the fifth inning with seven runs. Prior to the fifth, UNA had two runs on a first-inning RBI single from Merritt and a fourth-inning RBI single from Dover.

The fifth-inning rally started with a leadoff double by junior Emma Kate Wright, which laced the left field line. A single by junior Bayleigh Rouse moved her up to third, then a single by sophomore Jenna Madison scored both of them to make it 4-0. Later with two outs, Hammons doubled her way on from the top of the order, then Dover walked to load the bases.

With the bases juiced, Wheeler cleared them with a three-RBI double off the centerfield wall. This put her on second for Merritt, who crushed a liner over the right field wall for the walk-off mercy rule win.

Eight of the nine starters recorded a hit and scored a run, including a three-hit day for Hammons and two-hit days from Merritt, Madison and sophomore Kylei Russell. Russell went 2-for-3 today, making just her fourth start of the season. This marked her first multi-hit game of the season.

Wheeler scored twice in the game, while Dover's one run tied the Division I single-season run record.
 

Pitchers of Record
W – Alivia Wilken (13-5)
L – Lele Bennett (7-16)
S – None
 

Game 2: North Alabama 4, Bellarmine 0

Simon had an equally brilliant game to Wilken, going two more innings than her fellow senior with just three hits allowed. Like Wilken, Simon did not walk anyone and recorded three strikeouts.

Offensively, UNA got eight hits from seven hitters, including a perfect 2-for-2 day from Dover. She also finished with two stolen bases to tie her for the team-lead with Hammons at 16. Both are just two steals away from tying the Division I school record.

All four runs came from the top five in the order in a fifth-inning rally. Hammons sparked it with a leadoff triple, then Dover singled her in with a chopper up the middle. A single by Wheeler and a walk to Merritt loaded things up, then Wright singled home Dover and Wheeler to help Dover secure the Division I school record.

With a 3-0 lead, Madison drove in Wright in thrilling fashion for insurance. Wright, who was on second, hustled to third after an infield hit to second base deep in the hole. The hit allowed Madison to reach safely, then Wright sprinted past third and went on to slide in safely at home.

Simon had four flawless innings and three where she allowed just one run, but nobody advanced into scoring position.  

Pitchers of Record
W – Katie Simon (11-4)
L – Makenzie Cowburn (4-16)
S – None
 

COMING UP NEXT

UNA will celebrate its nine seniors in the regular season finale tomorrow at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, UNA will honor the following players — Katie Davis, Katie Simon, Natalie Shaw, Emily Simon, Jorja Roberson, Rylee Tittle, Laura Leigh Wheeler, Alivia Wilken and Gyvan Hammons.

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