Florence, Ala. -- The Lady Hawks closed out the regular season with a split in the final doubleheader of the year at No. 14 North Alabama; taking the opener 6-3 in nine innings, before falling the finale 6-5.

Shorter will take 31-14 record overall and a 14-11 conference mark into next weekend's Gulf South Conference Tournament; where they've earned the fourth seed and will open play Thursday afternoon at 12:30 against Union University. Top seeded Valdosta State will serve as the tournament host.

The Lady Hawks took the lead early in Sunday's opener, as Ericka Bynum delivered her second homerun in as many games to give Shorter a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Lions answered to cut the lead to one in the third inning on a homerun of their own, and tied the game in the fifth on an RBI single. The game moved into extra innings, and the Lady Hawks earned the win with three runs in the ninth. The first two came on an RBI double from Kameron Carter, who then came in to score on an RBI single from Abi Valdez for the 6-3 final score.

Amanda Blanchard earned the win, after turning in a complete game performance. Through nine innings of work she allowed three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and a walk.

North Alabama jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the game two, but the Lady Hawks began chipping away in the fifth inning. Bynum got things started with a 2 RBI double to plate Kendall Johnson and Niki Cook; Paige Rowland and Bynum then scored on an error to make it 5-4 game. In the bottom of the inning the Lions added a run to take the lead, 6-4. Shorter's comeback fell short in the sixth, but not before Maggie Meacham delivered an RBI double for the 6-5 final score.

Maddie Bray took the loss for the Lady Hawks; allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts through 1.1 innings of work.

Meacham, Bynum and Cook each finished with three hits on the day; while Valdes, Carter and Carson Carriker tallied two each.