DELAND, Fla. (WHNT) — Down to its last strike in the bottom of the seventh inning, the UNA softball team rallied to force extra innings and went on to beat Jacksonville 5-4 in an ASUN Conference Tournament play-in game.

Because of that walk-off win, North Alabama is now one of just six teams left competing for the 2023 ASUN title.

The Lions’ season was one strike away from ending when Gracie Benton doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and UNA trailing 4-3. Haven Kirby followed that up with an RBI single, and the game went to extra innings.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the 10th inning when Danielle Taitt singled, Mackenzie Patterson walked and Felicity Frame walked to load the bases with one out.

Sidney Bevis then delivered a game-winning single to score pinch-runner Jessie Baughan for the winning run.  

With the win, the Lions advance in the ASUN Tournament to face Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) on Wednesday at 4:30. The winner of the UNA-FGCU game will play either Liberty or Central Arkansas on Thursday.

This is the third time in UNA’s four ASUN Tournament appearances all-time that the Lions have won their game in the opening round.