RICHMOND, Ky. (March 23, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team fell in extra innings to Eastern Kentucky (4-20, 3-3 ASUN) at Earle Combs Stadium, 6-5.
The Lions (7-14, 4-2 ASUN) won the series yesterday after their second victory of the weekend. In the loss, they tied for the most hits they have had in a game this season with 13.
Billingsley, Craska, Wade and Jenkins all recorded multiple hits. Billingsley tied for the most hits in a game this season with three. Jenkins earned his sixth RBI of the weekend to get him to 10 overall this season.
UNA left 12 on base on the afternoon and hit just .167 with batters on. EKU stepped up on offense, hitting .364 with two outs and .429 with runners on base. The Colonels hit 4-for-4 with runners on third and less than two outs.
Like Saturday's game, the Lions did not score in the opening frame. However, Eastern Kentucky started quickly in the bottom of the first. After a walk, stolen base and another walk, two Colonels got on base. A ground out and then single to right field scored the inaugural run of the morning. This was the first time North Alabama trailed all weekend.
In the bottom of the second, EKU kept their offense going with a single to center. The next batter doubled to right center which bounced off the wall, which led to a 2-0 lead for the Colonels.
Senior pitcher Anthony Pingeton stranded the other runner as he struck out two to finish the inning.
At the top of the lineup in the third started with a Ryan West walk. Both Ryker Billingsley and Matthew Delgado moved him around. Petey Craska singled up the middle for his 12th RBI this season— which leads the team— as West scored, cutting it to 2-1.
A quiet fourth inning for both teams. However, EKU had their initial batter walked. The tide turned when Pingeton picked off the base runner at first. A quick review from the umpires and a confirmation of out. Pingeton went on to strikeout the next two.
The top of the fifth got a little chaotic. West singled to center field to open things up. Billingsley was then hit by a pitch on the next throw. Delgado grounded out to short, moving the two runners into scoring position.
Then, Eastern Kentucky pitcher Carson Van Haaren stepped to the mound and made an awkward move. The umpire called a balk, which scored West to tie the game. Billingsley then scored after the pitcher threw the ball to the dugout where he tried to requested a new ball without calling a timeout. Now the Lions take the lead, 3-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, the second batter singled for EKU with an out on the board. Pingeton struck out the next. He tried to pick off the runner at first multiple times. Then, he tried again but Craska was not at first and the ball skated towards the wall. The runner made his way around second with eyes on third. The ball then lined to Bryant Loving at third where he applied the tag for the third out of the inning.
A single from Alex Wade in the top of the sixth got things going, but a miss swing on a hit and run call struck out Loving and caught Wade stealing for two outs. The final Lion struck out.
Freshman left-hander Reese Young clocked in in the bottom of the sixth inning. Pingeton finished with a strong day as he pitched five innings and threw five strikeouts in 20 batters faced. After the first two innings, EKU was held scoreless for the next three innings during his time.
Young hit the first batter while the next two singled to left. The bases loaded quickly, and the next batter dribbled one to Craska at first who tried to turn a double play. After review, the only out came at first while the tying run touched home. Another walk loaded the bases, and the next batter hit a sac fly to Billingsley in center that scored the lead run. After a ground out, the inning came to a close with EKU in the lead 4-3.
A lot of the same for the seventh, both teams got runners on the base path. However, both pitchers left multiple runners stranded to continue the standoff into the eighth inning.
The Lions got help on offense. Two straight outs but a Loving single got the wheels turning. After a failed pickoff attempt, the ball scooted away getting Loving to second. Jenkins singled to right center which scored Loving for the tie and gave the senior his sixth RBI of the weekend.
West was hit by pitch and then Billingsley singled just out of the grasp of the center fielders glove, giving the Lions the lead 5-4 after Jenkins run.
In the back-and-forth game that it has been, the Colonels added another run in the bottom of the eighth to tie it up. Young's day came to a close as Morrill made his second appearance this weekend to fill in for the freshman.
North Alabama opened the final frame with a single from Craska. After a wild pitch he advanced to second but could not score before the final out.
Morrill recorded his first strikeout on the afternoon as he went three up and three down to take the game to extra innings.
The hero of the weekend, Jenkins hit one to left field, but it caught a weird bounce over the Colonel's head going for the wall which led to him on third. West then hit one to shortstop who elected to go for Jenkins at home.
After a fourth review, they ruled Jenkins as out which wiped the run away. The final Lion struck out on the inning.
Two straight outs in the bottom of the 10th before the final batter hit a home run over the left field wall.
Pitchers of Record
W – Wyatt Foley (3-1)
L – Dylan Morrill (2-1)
S – N/A
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions play at Toyota Field on Tuesday, March 25 against the Alabama Crimson Tide with the first pitch slated for 6:00 p.m. This will be their sixth game against an SEC opponent this season.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
