FLORENCE, Ala. – After a marathon contest on Sunday, the Tennessee Tech softball team will be back in action on Tuesday as the Golden Eagles head to North Alabama to take on the Lions in a mid-week contest.

 

First pitch is set for 3 p.m. with the game live on ESPN+ (subscription required).

 

UNA enters the contest with a 21-6 record. The Lions took two of three against Lipscomb, splitting Sunday's doubleheader with a 5-4 loss and a 16-0 win before claiming a 9-0 victory on Monday to wrap up the series, opening up Atlantic Sun Conference play.

 

As a team, the Lions are batting .311 with 22 home runs and 154 RBI along with 180 runs scored. Seven players have double-digit totals in RBI, led by Hailey Jones (.427) with 33, 41 hits and a team-best 12 doubles.

 

Briley Dover (.396) and Bayleigh Rouse (.325) each have a team-best six home runs and 20 RBI, while Dover also leads the team in runs scored with 30. Laura Leigh Wheeler (.386) also has 24 RBI.

 

The Lions are also a threat to steal with 32 swipes in 37 attempts, led by Dover with nine steals on 10 tries. Katie Davis (.319) and Gyvan Hammons (.244) both are 6-for-7 on stolen bases.

 

In the circle, UNA has an incredible 1.85 ERA led by Emily and Katie Simon. Emily, 8-2, has a 1.48 ERA over 66 1/3 innings with 31 walks and 52 strikeouts, while opponents are hitting .183. Katie (1.79 ERA) has a 5-2 mark with 12 walks and 39 strikeouts over 47 innings. Alivia Wilken has a 2.20 ERA with a 7-1 record, walking 16 and striking out a team-high 59 on 60 1/3 innings of work.

 

Tech (7-18) has lost six straight games and 12 of the last 13. Two of the three games over the weekend against SIUE saw the Golden Eagles ahead only to see the Cougars pull away late, including a 14-inning affair on Sunday – falling 10-9 on a sacrifice fly.

 

On the season, Tech is batting .252 with 69 RBI and 86 runs scored. Sydney Kirby leads the team with 15 RBI, while Abby Shoulders has the top totals in runs (13), hits (23) and stolen bases (11-for-13) with a team-best .343 batting average. Abbee Klinefelter has two of Tech's five home runs, while she – and Makayli Harris – each have eight RBI.

 

In the circle, the Golden Eagles have a 3.61 ERA with 86 walks and 116 strikeouts. Emily York (3.12, 30 Ks) and Lainey Fitzgerald (4.01 ERA, 43 Ks) each have three victories.

 

Following Tuesday's single game, the Golden Eagles will host Western Illinois on Saturday and Sunday in Ohio Valley Conference play.