FLORENCE, Ala. (May 1, 2024) – The University of North Alabama baseball team put up 10 runs on Wednesday in Florence, but dropped the backend of two midweek games 19-10 to Samford. Gehrig Frei tallied two home runs, including a grand slam, to bring him just three homers shy of tying UNA's single-season record of 17. 
 
The Lions fall to 14-29 on the season moving into the weekend series against Queens, while the Bulldogs improve to 29-15.
 
Frei rocketed a second inning grand slam to straight away center field before following up with a two-run shot over the right field scoreboard in the eighth inning. He sits at 14 home runs with 11 games remaining in the regular season, just three shy of tying the UNA single season record held by Mike Burns (1989) and D.J. Harris (1993) with 17. 
 
UNA and Samford traded the lead three times in the first three innings before Samford took the final lead of the game with an RBI double in the fourth inning. 
 
North Alabama exercised eight pitchers on the afternoon, highlighted by Caleb Menina, who tossed 2.0 scoreless while striking out one and not allowing a hit. David Burton entered and pitched 0.2 scoreless after tossing 0.2 scoreless innings the previous night in Murfreesboro. 
 
Carson Howard started for UNA and exited the game following the third inning with a career high six strikeouts in just 3.0 innings of work. As a team, North Alabama struck out 13 batters, with Dane Sykes picking up three and four others notching one. 
 
Jonathan Lane tabbed a multi-hit afternoon with a pair of singles. Lane came around to score on Frei's second home run of the ballgame. 
 
With the home runs and a walk, Frei extends his reached base safely streak to 17, the longest streak by any UNA batter this season. 
 
Pitchers of Record
W - Cole Fryman (1-0)
L – Justin Battle (0-2)
S – None
 
COMING UP NEXT
  
UNA travels to Charlotte, N.C. to take on Queens in a crucial battle for positioning in the ASUN standings. The series opens up on Friday, May 3 at 5 p.m.
 
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