MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (April 11, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team walked off another game this week as they defeated the Austin Peay Governors 10-9 on Friday, April 11. 

Tied 9-9 in the bottom of the ninth, Nash Rippen became a hero. Rippen singled into right field with Petey Craska at second. A Governor bobbled the ball which led to Craska sliding home headfirst to take the win. 

The Lions (12-20, 7-6 ASUN) tied their best game in hits with 13, runs scored with 10 and home runs with two. North Alabama set their season high in RBIs with 10 for the day with five being two-out RBIs. 

UNA out-hit the big bats of Austin Peay (26-8, 11-2 ASUN) with 13 as the Governors notched 10, hitting .286 for the afternoon. North Alabama lead-off batters earned six of the 13 hits.

This is the second walk-off win this week for head coach Jad Prachniak and company. North Alabama beat the Belmont Bruins at Rickwood Field on Wednesday, April 9 as an RJ Sherwood double earned the win 5-4. 

This marks the second straight come from behind victory when trailing in the seventh.

The Lions hit .325 as a team and .308 with two outs for the game. UNA also turned in a clean sheet defensively with a 1.000 fielding percentage with no errors for display. 

North Alabama threw four pitchers with Tripp Patterson earning the Friday night start. He went five innings with five strikeouts in 18 batters faced. Dylan Morrill received two innings of work with a pair of strikeouts. Gavin Oswald made an appearance before Luke Davenport struck out three batters to finish the final 1.2 innings to earn his second win of the season. 

Craska and Rippen, the eventual heroes of the story, both secured three hit days. Craska notched a home run, a double and two runs to go along with three RBIs himself. Rippen hit a double and had two RBIs. 

Matthew Delgado hit a home run and three RBIs while crossing the plate once. Alex Wilson plated twice, and Wes Walker did once. Wilson opened the game with a double on the first pitch.

The two home runs were the most in a game since Central Arkansas on March 14. 

Rippen's six at-bats in the game tied Bryant Loving for the most in a single game this season. Ryker Billingsley crossed home plate three times, becoming a season high amongst the team. Rippen's three hits tied for the most in a game, done four previous times. 

The game was originally planned for the first pitch at 6:05 p.m., however some light rain across the area pushed it back 30 minutes. As more showers scattered across the turf field and through warm-ups, the team needed 30 more minutes. The first pitch came down the strike zone at 7:05 p.m. as the skies cleared. 

The skies did clear, but Austin Peay brought their own thunder to the first inning. The lead-off batter took the second pitch to center field which hit the fence as Billingsley back pedaled which led to a triple. A fly out scored the runner and the Governors' own Cameron Nickens sent a solo shot over right field. Austin Peay took a quick 2-0 lead. 

However, the Lions brought some of their own boom as Wilson led off with a double to right center. Billingsley moved him around as the second baseman elected for the easy out. Delgado put a tough one on the short stop and forced a throwing error as he grabbed the RBI.

North Alabama doubled down on that boom in the bottom of the third, down 2-1. Billingsley led off and was hit by the first pitch. Craska decimated a ball dead center that may have found the train tracks for his second home run of the year. Delgado then found his own home run the very next at-bat in a 2-0 count over the right field wall. 

A Craska then Delgado back-to-back home run sequence? Yes, it has happened before. It came back in the Army series during Saturday, February 15 game three as North Alabama won 5-0. 

Wes Walker singled to left center and Jonathan Lane walked as the inning continued. Rippen singled to right field to load the bases. Leighton Jenkins was walked in a full count to score Walker and take the lead 4-2.

Nickens heard his name called a lot. He homered to right center in the top of the fourth for another solo home run to bring the Govs within one. 

Then Austin Peay started to prove their power in the sixth. Morrill stepped in for Patterson and his first pitch was taken for a single to right field. The next batter was hit. Nickens singled to right field which scored one and left another at third.

Nickens stole second and a wild pitch let the runner at third score. A walked batter and the next hit loaded the diamond. However, Morrill worked back a 3-2 count to catch the batter looking for a strikeout as the dugouts erupted. A single that Lane laid out for over second skated through to score two more for a four-run inning. 

But the Lions were ready. Billingsley singled to left field as it danced between the first and second baseman. Craska hit a ground rule double as the right field threw up his hands as the ball bounced over the fence. Delgado walked as the bases loaded. Lane hit a streaker to the short stop who had to retreat on the ball to make a play. Lane's speed was able to beat out the throw for a single and an RBI.

Morrill continued to work in the top of the seventh down 7-6. He earned a fly out and ground out in the first six pitches. However, Nickens hit another home run, this time over right center. Morrill retired the final Governor looking. 

Austin Peay went with their closer in the bottom of the seventh. Loving walked in the opening at-bat. Jenkins went for a hit-and-run on his final strike and as he missed, Loving made it to second, but the catcher tossed it to the outfield placing him at third. 

In a turn of a events, Wilson reached on a catcher's interference. Billingsley then bunted and the Lions sent Loving sliding into home, but the Governors got the tag for the out. 

Craska's big bat came through again as he singled to left field to score Wilson and place Billingsley at third. Delgado then singled to tie the game 8-8. 

Oswald stepped to the mound in the eighth. One walked and then a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second. Another walk placed two on the bases and let Davenport enter the game. A wild pitch then put both in scoring position. Another walk loaded the bases.

Nevertheless, the freshman composed himself. Then he struck out the one-hole hitter swinging. Next up came John Bay, the ASUN leader in home runs with the bases juiced. Davenport worked early with a foul tip then caught Bay swinging on the next. A couple off-speeds to try and catch the batter swinging before a fastball that missed the edge. In a full count, Davenport laces one as Bay swings and misses for strike three to strand the runners. 

Lane was hit by a pitch off his left arm. Rippen then doubled to right center and Lane's speed showed once again as he went racing towards home. The throw came in and Lane went sliding headfirst and extends his arm to touch the plate as the umpire signals him safe for the 9-8 lead. 

The lead in tow and the top of the ninth ensuing, Nickens led off for Austin Peay. He doubled to left field on the second pitch. A fly out to Billingsley in center placed him on third. A single up the middle scored Nickens and gave the Govs the tie. 

Davenport continued to work and struck out the next batter in three pitches. The final Governor retired via fly out and a tied game went to the bottom of the ninth.

The heart of the lineup due up as Craska led off. He saw three straight balls but that did not stop him from taking a big hack at the fourth for a foul tip. Another big swing sent him to a full count before the pitcher walked him.

Walker took a couple of big hacks as well before being hit by a pitch in an 0-2 count. Ethan Walker came in to pinch run. Two Lion strikeouts brought Rippen to the plate with the winning run at second with two outs.

Rippen dug in as he faced a shifted infield who is expected the pull. The third baseman in the short stop position, short stop aligned over the right side of second base, the second baseman encroaching on first, while the first baseman hugged the line.

Rippen took a swing that would have met Craska's home run if he had connected. Second pitch came inside and Rippen fired away, putting it right in the hole between the first and second baseman. 

Craska rounded third, Walker rounded second and looked toward the outfield. The right fielder bobbled the ball and had to scramble to find it. Third base coach Nick Patten sent Craska to home for the win. The throw finally came in as Craska slid headfirst to score the winning run, 10-9. 

Rippen watched on as Craska plated again and the team chased him down to celebrate their seventh ASUN win of the season over the Gold Division leaders, Austin Peay.

Pitchers of Record 
W – Luke Davenport (2-0) 
L –  Kaleb Applebey (2-1) 
S – N/A 

COMING UP NEXT 
North Alabama plays game two of the series tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Mark Lee Legacy Field at Patriot Park in Muscle Shoals, Ala. 

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