FLORENCE, Ala. (April 16, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team brings the Bellarmine Knights to Florence, Ala. to open Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium beginning Thursday, April 17 at 2 p.m.
  
Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast. Live video will not be available. However, "Voice of the Lions" Benjamin Ray will broadcast the game on 93.9 The Score. Grant Wakefield will join him for the Thursday matchup while Mike Ezekiel slides in for the rest of the series starting on Friday.
 
North Alabama vs. Bellarmine
Thursday, April 17, 2025
2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Radio
 
North Alabama vs. Bellarmine
Friday, April 18, 2025
2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Radio
 
North Alabama vs. Bellarmine
Saturday, April 19, 2025
1:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Radio

NOTES
  
THE RUNDOWN: The University of North Alabama baseball team handed Austin Peay — the ASUN Gold Division leaders — its first series loss this season over this past weekend. UNA walked off the Friday night win as Nash Rippen put one through the gap in right field to score the two winning runs in epic fashion, 10-9. In a Sunday doubleheader, the Lions put up their most runs and most hits in a game this season to take the series, 16-12 in the final game. They also had a seven-run inning in the bottom of the seventh, tied for the best in a single inning this season — last accomplished against Bellarmine on April 6.
 
 
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 37th all-time meeting between the two programs. The Lions are 18-18 all-time against Bellarmine with their most recent win coming on Monday, April 7 by a score of 5-3. The Lions are better at home with a 4-2 record since the transition to Division I. After the series swap as construction of Mike D. Lane Field continued, North Alabama played the last nine games against Bellarmine in Louisville, Ky. The last time the Knights came to Florence, Ala. was May 12-15, 2022 where UNA swept the series. 

SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS: Bellarmine is 9-27 overall with a 5-10 conference record. Since last playing on Monday, April 7 the Knights are 1-4 with a conference series against Central Arkansas in the middle of two familiar opponents for the Lions, Murray State and No. 2 Tennessee. All four losses saw their opponent scoring 10 or more runs during that span as their win came via shutout. The Knights began a 13-game road trip against the Volunteers on Tuesday, April 15. This game originally slated as a home game for Bellarmine but was changed due to the ongoing construction for Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
 
REBUILDING OF "THE MIKE": The University of North Alabama baseball team played the final ever games at Mike D. Lane Field on May 10-12 against North Florida. Former head coaches Mike Lane and Mike Keehn and former UNA All-American Josh Willingham were honored with a pre-game ceremony. With construction on a new playing surface to begin this summer as part of the Bank Independent Stadium project, the May 12 game was the final to be played at Mike D. Lane Field. The first game sees 341 days in between the last home game of the old stadium and the open of the new one. 
 
SERIES SNATCHERS: After their third ASUN victory over Austin Peay, this marks only the second year that the Lions have won three conference series. North Alabama defeated Bellarmine, Kennesaw State and Austin Peay in 2023 for series wins. This has been the third straight season that head coach Jad Prachniak has lifted the Lions to two or more conference series wins. Including this weekend, UNA has five more opportunities to achieve a fourth conference series win for the first time ever. 
 
ON THE WATCH: Captain and second baseman Jonathan Lane is on watch for his 200th career hit. He currently has 39 on the season with 198 total during his four years, only two away from that career milestone. He averages 53 hits per season, which is on pace to end the regular season with 212. His 198 hits is tied with Josh Cyr for fifth all-time, while he is seven away from former MLB player Josh Willingham in fourth with 205.
 
END OF THE ROAD, UNPACK THE BAGS: The Lions have competed in 34 games this year with a record of 13-21 overall with an 8-7 ASUN conference record. Every single game being a road game away from Florence, Ala. even with some 'home games' sprinkled in at Young Memorial Field or Toyota Field. In this, the North Alabama baseball team has traveled 5,262 miles on a bus this season. This does not include the drive to and from hotels or activities outside of getting to the playing field such as places to practice. In all this travel, they have been on the road for approximately 106 hours and 24 minutes this season. This accumulates to over four days of consistent travel for the Lions.
 
THINGS TO KNOW: For more things to know on the opening of Mike D. Lane Field, click here.
 
UP NEXT: After the weekend conference matchup, the Lions host the Murray State Racers on Tuesday, April 22. This will be the second meeting this season, where the Lions fell 5-3 during the midweek game. 

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.