JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (April 5, 2024) – Senior pitcher Jacob James matched his career-high in strikeouts, while graduate infielder Kyle Machado tallied four hits as the University of North Alabama baseball team toppled Jacksonville University 9-1 on Friday in the series opener in Jacksonville.
 
The Lions improve to 11-17 on the season, while the Dolphins move to 13-16. UNA now has a 3-7 record in ASUN conference play, while handing Jacksonville just its third loss in conference play at 7-3. 
 
With UNA holding a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning, Jacksonville loaded the bases and threatened to cut into the Lion advantage. James proceeded to punch out two batters to escape the jam and protect the lead. UNA allowed just one run across nine innings to Jacksonville. 
 
Five of the first six UNA batters on the evening reached base, as Jackson Ferrigno rocked a leadoff double followed by a single from Dominick McIntyre. Machado opened the scoring on an RBI single. Andrew Knight walked to load the bases, while Levi Jensen singled to center to bring home Machado. 
 
After a Leighton Jenkins single and a pair of walks loaded the bases in the second, Machado doubled to bring home two more runners. A Knight sacrifice fly pushed across another and gave UNA a 5-0 lead after two innings.
 
James finished his first three innings having faced the minimum nine batters. The southpaw allowed just one base runner on a walk before Jensen cut him down attempting to steal second base. Jacksonville got on the board in the fifth inning, picking up the team's first two hits of the game.
 
Machado launched a three-run home run in the sixth inning to extend the North Alabama lead to 8-1. The UNA first baseman now has three home runs on the season after leading the team with nine in 2023. 
 
James notched four more strikeouts across the next two frames, matching his career high of 12 strikeouts. The senior from Loretto, Tenn. finished his day with 7.0 innings and 12 strikeouts while only allowing four hits and one run. James has now struck out 10 or more batters on three separate occasions this season.
 
Jensen doubled in the eighth inning to bring home another run and make the score 9-1 UNA. 
 
Brycen Parrish entered the contest in the eighth and closed out the game with two strikeouts while only allowing two baserunners across 2.0 innings. 
 
James earned his third victory of the season, matching the most by a North Alabama pitcher since Bryant Claunch had five wins in 2019. 
 
Machado finished his day 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and six RBIs. Machado has the most multi-hit games of any UNA player across the last two seasons with 29. Gehrig Frei is the next closest player with 26 in that same span. 
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Jacob James (3-2)
L – Peyton Prescott (3-3)
S – None
 
COMING UP NEXT
  
The two teams square off again on Saturday, April 6 for game two of the series at 6 p.m. before playing in the series finale on Sunday, April 7 at 2 p.m.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.