FLORENCE, Ala. (March 9, 2024) – The University of North Alabama baseball team used dominant pitching and timely hitting en route to a 10-0 victory over UT Martin in the series opener on Saturday, March 9 at Mike D. Lane Field. Jacob James tossed six scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts on his way to earning his second victory of the season. 

The 10-0 victory is the first shutout by a North Alabama pitching staff since defeating Memphis 10-0 in seven innings on April 5, 2022. 

James tied his career-high for most strikeouts in a game for the second time this season, punching out 12 Skyhawk batters across 6.0 innings in a quality start. The southpaw from Loretto, Tenn. now has 216 career strikeouts, the second most in program history, trailing just Chad Boughner who finished his UNA career with 280. James has 38 strikeouts in just 22 innings pitched this season.

The Lions improve to 4-9 on the season, while the Skyhawks fall to 5-9.

UNA took the lead in the home half of the second inning and did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest. Gehrig Frei launched a two-run shot to right field for his second home run of the season, putting UNA on the board. North Alabama has now hit at least one home run in eight of the last nine games, including 13 in that same span of games. 

The Lions tacked on a run in each of the next two innings on a pair of RBI doubles. Kyle Machado tacked on a run with a double to center field in the third while Cal Cook roped one to left field to drive in another in the fourth. North Alabama moved a runner to third in the fifth and loaded the bases in the sixth but could not capitalize. 

Brycen Parrish entered the game for the dominant James in the seventh, tossing a scoreless frame with a pair of strikeouts. Parrish now has 21 strikeouts in just 12.2 innings this season, bringing his ERA down to 1.42.

The Lions finally broke the door down in the seventh inning, driving home six to walk off UT Martin via run rule. UNA had two runners reach base to start the inning on a pair of infield errors. Frei added two more RBI's to his total with a double down the third base line, bringing the UNA lead to 6-0 with nobody out. 

A Cook single, a Dominick McIntyre RBI groundout and a Levi Jensen walk added a run and left two runners on base for Leighton Jenkins. Jenkins joined the hit parade, driving in a run on his fourth double of the season. Leadoff hitter Jackson Ferrigno stepped to the plate and brought home a pair of runners to end the game at 10-0.
Pitchers of Record
W – Jacob James (2-0)
L – Tristan Walton (2-2)
S – None


COMING UP NEXT
 
UNA and UT Martin return to Mike D. Lane field for a pair of games on Sunday, March 10 with the first game beginning at noon and game two following shortly after.

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