RICHMOND, Ky. (March 20, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team travels to their second ASUN weekend series in Richmond, Ky. against Eastern Kentucky at Earle Combs Stadium.
North Alabama plays the first game of the series on Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast, while live video will be available via ESPN+ for Sunday's game only.
North Alabama at Eastern Kentucky
Friday, March 21, 2025
7:00 p.m.
Live Stats
North Alabama at Eastern Kentucky
Saturday, March 22, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Live Stats
North Alabama at Eastern Kentucky
Sunday, March 23, 2025
1:00 p.m.
Live Stats |
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NOTES
THE RUNDOWN: North Alabama recently traveled to Birmingham, Ala. where the Lions played against the Central Arkansas Bears in their ASUN opening weekend series. They won the series 2-1, marking the first ever Division-I ASUN opening series win. North Alabama won 6-5 the first game and split the doubleheader losing 3-6 then bouncing back for a 7-6 victory. The Lions won both games in dramatic fashion they took an extra inning in both. As well, both freshman
Petey Craska and senior
Leighton Jenkins hit walk-offs to win both games securing the winning run. Another notable outing, transfer pitcher
Dylan Morrill faced 17 batters and struck out nine in the opening game for the win. With these two wins the Lions picked up their first win in this matchup since 2022.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 13th all-time meeting between the two programs. The first matchup came in 2022 as conference opponents. Since then, UNA is 1-11 in these games with the lone win coming in 2022 at home, 10-1. In 2022, the two squared off six times as opponents while the previous two years have just been three each. Now being in the ASUN Gold Division, these two will meet six times this season for a home and away series.
SCOUTING THE COLONELS: Eastern Kentucky is 3-18 to begin the year after they dropped their most recent game to Western Kentucky at home, 14-8. The Colonels are 3-6 at home this season with their three wins coming just this past weekend with two against Bellarmine and one against Marshall. The Colonels, like the Lions, were one of six ASUN teams to win their opening series; all six went 2-1 in the series. EKU has gotten a taste of the SEC with a weekend series at Ole Miss and a home and home with Kentucky. They currently sit one spot below North Alabama in the ASUN Gold Division at third.
WALK OFF HEROICS: Head coach Jad Prachniak has only had one walk-off game winner during his tenure at North Alabama, until the Central Arkansas series. On Friday night March 14, the Lions tied the Bears and went into a 10th inning. A single from Jenkins and a
Zak Majer walk put two on base. A sac bunt moved the runners and an intentional walk put
Matthew Delgado on first, which loaded the bases. Up stepped redshirt freshman
Petey Craska. He fouled off the first before seeing two balls and then fouled off another. His fifth pitcher saw it streak over the centerfielders head to score the winning run. In the second game of a doubleheader, it felt like deja vu.
Alex Wade doubled down the left field line in the bottom of the 10th inning. Senior shortstop
Leighton Jenkins stepped in with an out and the game on the line. Jenkins saw a first pitch ball, then he swung at the next and he swung at the next. As the fourth pitch came scorching, Jenkins swung again but this time sending it flying over the center fielders head for another walk-off win making two in the same weekend.
DELLY CELLY: Senior transfer catcher
Matthew Delgado has quickly become a focal point to the Lions offense. He leads the team in batting average (.339), slugging percentage (.458). He is second in total bases (27), runs scored (7), RBIs (9) and hits (20) in just 14 games played for the season. He is also tied for most hits in a game (3), runs scored (2) and home runs (1). He has done all this in the fourth most at-bats for the team (59). Delgado recorded a team high of 14 putouts in the first UCA game.
THRILL MORRILL: Senior transfer right-handed pitcher
Dylan Morrill has been a seamless addition to the bullpen. He has made six appearances this season for the Lions pitching 19.2 innings with 24 strikeouts, which leads the team. He has only seen 67 batters and when hitting against him, batters average .164.
ROAD WARRIORS: North Alabama is in the process of building Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium, which is currently scheduled to be ready in April. The Lions will play on the road and at neutral site venues until then. For more information,
click here.
UP NEXT: After the ASUN conference weekend against Eastern Kentucky in Richmond, Ky., the Lions will head back to Toyota Field to play the Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday, March 25 in Huntsville, Ala. at 6 p.m. This is the sixth game against an SEC opponent.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
