FLORENCE, Ala. --  Tyler Joyner and Dylan Stewart combined for 13 strikeouts and the North Alabama batters backed them with nine hits as the Lions won their 2017 baseball home-opener over Bellarmine 8-1.
 
UNA is now 2-2 overall.
 
Bellarmine's only run came on a solo home run in the first inning off the bat of Zac Wiley but the Knights would not score again as Joyner (2-0) struck-out 10 batters in six and a third innings to get the win, and Stewart struck-out three in two and two-thirds innings for the save.
 
UNA tied the game with a solo home run from Kyle Hubbuch to lead-off the second, then took the lead with two runs in the third. T.J. Lockett walked and Aaron Hobbs followed with a single. Hobbs then stole second and Lockett scored on a throwing error on the play. Logan Carter drove in Hobbs with a single.
 
A solo home run by Carter in the fifth extended UNA's lead to 5-1 and the Lions added four insurance runs in the eighth. Hubbuch singled and scored on a Brandt Holland triple. Ben Cooley followed with an RBI-single, Davis Elliott was intentionally walked and Bellarmine reliever Ryan Henson hit three consecutive batters to force in two runs. Lockett was hit to force in Cooley and Hobbs was hit to bring in Elliott.
 
Hubbuch, Carter and Hobbs led UNA with two hits each.
 
The Lions and Knights will play a double-header Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.


Kyle Hubbuch


Aaron Hobbs


Kyle Hubbuch


Davis Elliott


Dylan Stewart


Tyler Joyner