FLORENCE, Ala. (April 21, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team welcomes the Murray State Racers to Florence, Ala. on Tuesday, April 22nd at 3 p.m. This is the second matchup between the two this season.
Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast, while live video will not be available. However, the "Voice of the Lions" Benjamin Ray will broadcast the game on 93.9 The Score alongside Grant Wakefield and Mike Ezekiel.
North Alabama vs. Murray State
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
3 p.m.
Live Stats
NOTES
THE RUNDOWN: North Alabama recently won its fourth conference series weekend in six tries, defeating Bellarmine in two of three. The Lions dropped game one, but Tripp Patterson threw a complete game for the second game of the series and then the bats got hot for an 11-1 victory on Saturday. During this time, Jonathan Lane found his 200th hit, becoming the first Division I player to do so and the fifth player all-time in school history. Wes Walker also had a .700 batting average for the weekend as he has upped his average to .368 in conference. The Lions found a three home-run game in the finale on Saturday, as well.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 14th all-time meeting between the two programs. That is, if the record book is open all the way back to 1957. In modern day, the Lions have played the Racers eight times, making this the ninth since 2020. However, in 1957 North Alabama played Murray State twice in back-to-back games under head coach George Weeks — UNA won both. The two met in 1966 and 1995 for three games, the Racers won all three. Since 2020, the Lions have one victory, 6-4 in Florence, Ala. This will be the fourth consecutive year of a home and home between the two schools.
SCOUTING THE RACERS: Murray State is now 27-9 on the season with a 10-5 conference record. Since last playing the Lions, the Racers have lost one game in that span of 12 games. They also beat one team 38-1 at home.. yes, that was read correctly. They beat Kentucky State 38-1 at Johnny Reagan field on April 9. The Lions lost 5-3 in Murray, Ky. On April 1 as the Racers hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to help give them the win.
MR. 200: Captain and second baseman Jonathan Lane found his 200th hit in the bottom of the fourth in the 4-2 win over Bellarmine on Friday, April 18. Lane joins UNA Hall of Famers James Barksdale, Douglas Hargett and Josh Willingham, as well as 2018 graduate Kyle Hubbach, as the fifth player at UNA to record 200 career hits all-time. He is now five hits away from passing Willingham, perhaps the most-decorated player in school history, at 205.
WEEKEND 10 TOP-100 PITCHERS: The Lions freshman left-hander, Tripp Patterson went a full nine innings in a 4-2 win over Bellarmine. He threw nine innings with seven strikeouts which tied a season high. He allowed only four hits with one walk for the game. D1Baseball named Patterson as the 22nd best pitching outing of the previous weekend, which takes games from all over the country. The freshman immediately bests pitchers from Notre Dame, NC State, Troy and South Carolina, among others.
HISTORY MAKERS: North Alabama won their fourth ASUN conference series this season over Bellarmine this previous weekend. This is the most all-time in Division I history. Head coach Jad Prachiniak set the bar at three conference series wins in 2023 when the Lions beat the Austin Peay Governors the final weekend of the season. UNA has four more conference series to go with Austin Peay beginning this weekend.
GRAND OPENING: UNA played at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium for the first time ever on Thursday, April 17, as UNA hosted its first true home game against the Knights. The field has been deemed playable, however, construction is still ongoing as more amenities are planned for the ballpark that will be completed throughout the summer.
UP NEXT: After the matchup with Murray State, the Lions head to Clarksville, Tenn. for a second matchup against Austin Peay at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park beginning Friday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
