FLORENCE, Ala. (March 28, 2024) – The University of North Alabama baseball fell to a late offensive surge from Lipscomb on Friday, as the Lions fell 8-2 in the series opener Thursday at Mike D. Lane Field. The two teams were scoreless through six frames before combining for 10 runs in the final three innings. 
 
The Lions fall to 8-16 on the season and 1-6 in Atlantic Sun Conference play, while the Bisons improve to 6-18 overall and 2-5 in the ASUN. 
 
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, UNA used a pair of solo home runs from Gehrig Frei and Dominick McIntyre to cut the Lipscomb lead to one run. However, the Bisons added five runs in the eighth to prevent the UNA comeback. 
 
Jacob James began the day on the bump for North Alabama and strung together 6.1 innings while allowing no earned runs and striking out seven batters. It is the fourth time this season James has struck out at least seven batters in a start. 
 
After the two teams combined for just six hits across the first six innings, Lipscomb began to threaten in the seventh. A leadoff double followed by an error left runners at the corners with nobody out. 
 
James fielded a bunt and caught a runner trying to score to keep the game even at zero with one out, but after a walk loaded the bases, a pair of singles brought home the first runs of the game and gave the Bisons a 3-0 lead heading to the home half of the inning.
 
North Alabama responded, using the solo home runs from Frei and McIntyre to pull within a run going into the final two innings. The Bisons, however, picked up four hits in the eighth inning, bringing home five runs and extending the lead to six. 
 
Justin Battle entered the game in the ninth inning and tossed a scoreless frame, bringing his season ERA down to 3.24 across five appearances. 
 
Kyle Machado worked a two-out walk in the ninth inning, but a defensive stop by Lipscomb second baseman Trace Willhoite ended the game on the next batter. 
 
Frei picked up his team-leading fifth home run of the season and third across his last eight games. The redshirt-sophomore infielder now leads the team in slugging percentage (.483), total bases (42) and on-base percentage (.360).
 
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Alex Brewer (2-2)
L – Jacob James (2-2)
S – None
 
 
COMING UP NEXT
  
The two teams are set to square off in game two of the series on Friday at 6 p.m. before concluding the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
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