The Lions softball team swept Union in a two-game series April 20.

The games were the last two home games for the Lions and Summer Wilkerson, the lone senior on the team.

In the first game, Breanna Riley continued her standout season as she pitched a complete game shutout to pick up the 6-0 victory, Riley’s 18th of the season.

“Bri pitched a great game,” said Jason Anderson, head softball coach. “Even though we only played two games and she only pitched one of them, she had another big weekend for us.”

Wilkerson went 3-4, scoring two times and driving in one RBI.

Callie Steadman went 2-3 with three of her four RBIs coming off a double in the fourth inning.

In the second game of the series, Haley Barnette also threw a complete game, allowing only two runs in the 5-2 Lions win.

Wilkerson went 1-2, with her one hit being a RBI double in the fifth inning.

“She did really well for us,” Anderson said. “She had two good games with her family there watching.”

The double put Wilkerson in a position where Mallory Patterson could drive her in. Patterson delivered with a single toward the shortstop.

The four-run fifth for the Lions allowed for Barnette to stay in the game and pick up her 11th win of the season.

The Lions will play West Alabama in a doubleheader in Livingston April 27 and will travel to play UA-Huntsville in another doubleheader April 28 that will end the regular season for UNA.

“These games are going to be the biggest games in recent history,” Anderson said. “As of last Wednesday, we were ranked first in the South region, which means that we would host the regional, which has never happened in UNA’s history.”

Anderson said that if the team can overcome a short-handed pitching staff, then they will have a chance to host.

“If we can maintain this success, we will have a chance to be successful,” he said.

Anderson said having the regionals at home would help the Lions in the tournament.

“I would think that it is a huge advantage,” he said. “Our record says that we are 21-6 at home, but three or four of those came in our tournament earlier this season. So it is definitely an advantage.”

UNA is sitting in third place in the GSC, 1.5 games behind first place UAH.

“Everybody’s good, and anybody can beat anybody in this conference,” Anderson said.

Anderson said the Lions cannot overlook anybody in the tournament and that performing well in all three aspects of the game is important for the success of the team.

“We are going to have to pitch, play defense and hit well to succeed,” he said. “But if we don’t do all three things, then anything can happen.”

UNA is ranked No. 11 in the country according to the NFCA standings and are 38-12 on the season. The Lions have played 50 games this season, the most in the GSC.