The Lee softball team split a doubleheader with No. 20 North Alabama on a picture perfect day for softball from Butler Field.
The Lady Flames move to 19-22 overall and 9-14 in the Gulf South Conference (GSC). The Lions sit at 33-11 and are 18-8 on conference play.
The two clubs play the rubber match of the weekend series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.
GAME ONE
Lee ace Angie Hughes (12-11) delivered a complete game performance to guide the Lady Flames to a 3-2 victory over UNA in game one.
Hughes gave up two runs on three hits while striking out four.
The loss marked the first time North Alabama dropped their opening game of a series this season.
Senior bopper Ana Coscorrosa started the scoring off launching her eighth home run of the year in the first inning to give the Lady Flames a 2-0 advantage.
The Lions cut the lead in half on a Shelby Goodman solo home run in the second. From there the Lions were limited to just two more hits and one more run as Hughes stifled the high powered Alabama club.
BreeAnna Blevins (16-7) started in the circle for the Lions and worked all six innings giving up four hits and three runs. She walked one and struck out three.
Dominique Hannah added a pair of singles and drove in the winning run in the third. Amanda Lynn recorded Lee's other hit in the contest.
GAME TWO
After being held to just three hits and two runs in game one the Lions exploded for 16 hits, including four home runs in route to an 8-5 victory over Lee in the nightcap.
Lexie Dean highlighted the seven-hit attack for the Lady Flames with three hits. Coscorrosa, Macias and Stevens added singles while Hannah doubled and drove in two.
North Alabama appeared to be cruising towards the victory behind the arm of Hillary Carpenter (16-4). After giving up just two runs over six innings Carpenter held a comfortable 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
The Lady Flames rallied for three in the seventh to force extra innings thanks to a clutch two-run double by Hannah and a RBI fielder's choice by Jessie Giles.
North Alabama quickly added three more runs in the extra frame as Chloe Wolf drilled a two-run double to left field followed by a solo homer by Kaylee Jones to help salvage the split.
Libby Olinger finished with four hits a home run and two RBI. Chelsea Showers, Jones and Wolf each homered in the contest as well for the Lions.
Carpenter worked the full eight innings. She gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits. She walked nine but did have nine punch outs.
Annabeth Pruett started and worked three-plus scoreless innings. The freshman gave way to Hughes in the fourth inning. Hughes worked an inning-plus giving up two hits and three runs.
Hailey Clark (2-7) pitched the final four innings for Lee and was tagged with the loss. The freshman gave up five runs on 10 hits while striking out three.