DELAND, Fla. (May 21, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team played its second game in the ASUN tournament against No. 4 North Florida on Wednesday afternoon and took home the 14-11 win.
With the win, this is the first post-season win during the Division I era. This marks the first post season win since the Gulf South Conference tournament win over Mississippi College on May 7, 2017, 3-2.
The Lions play the loser of the Thursday game between Austin Peay and Jacksonville on Friday at 9 a.m.
The Lions (24-30, 15-15 ASUN) had a massive hit parade across today's game. UNA had their first four home run game of the season in the Wednesday afternoon cap. Three of the four were two-run shots.
Petey Craska and Nash Rippen each hit one in the first inning. Rippen added a solo shot in the fifth while Alex Wilson secured his first ever home run during his North Alabama career in the sixth.
Craska's home run in the first inning was the longest one of the 2025 ASUN Tournament at 418-feet.
The Ospreys (27-29, 17-13 ASUN) threw seven pitchers for the game with starter Bryson Treichel taking the loss with the five run first inning. No pitcher threw over 50 pitches for UNF in today's game five of the tournament.
A game of responses for the Lions. Every time North Florida scored in the top of an inning North Alabama scored at least one run in the bottom of the inning.
This marks the second most runs in a game this season, two behind the 16 put on Austin Peay in April. The 11 runs given up is the most in a winning effort this season.
Every starting Lion plated at least once in this game. Matthew Delgado, Jonathan Lane and Rippen all had two runs; Wilson ended with a team high of three runs.
Seven Lions combined for the .286, 10-hit day with Bryant Loving, Wilson and Rippen all notching two hits. Loving had four RBIs for a team and season high. Wilson had two and Rippen had three.
UNA threw three pitchers with Tripp Patterson on the mound first. He went 5.1 innings with three strike outs with 94 pitches thrown.
Dylan Morrill threw two innings and John Allen Stogner closed out the final 1.2 innings as he earned the save and a strikeout.
The Florida humidity had a different feel to it for the second day of the ASUN Tournament. The air even seemed to carry.
The labeled away team, the Ospreys, found a run in the top of the first as a ball skated to the outfield for the early 1-0 lead.
Then it was an aggressive offense from the Lions to take ahold of the game in the bottom of the first.
Sloan walked to lead off for the Lions. Craska, who went hitless in the first game, took a ball 418 feet right center for a home run to make it a two-run shot.
Delgado found a hit right on the right field line for a single. Rippen decided to double down and hit his own two-shot home run for a quick four runs in the first four batters of the day.
Ospreys called for the pitching change. Immediately, Lane is walked and then stole second in Billingsley's at-bat. A throwing error from the catcher as he double clutched it allowed for Lane to get to third.
Billingsley walked after a full count and then Loving hit one to shortstop for a fielder's choice. The out came at second but it scored Loving to finalize a five-run first inning which finished at 5-1.
Delgado walked in the bottom of the second and advanced on a wild pitch. Rippen then walked after.
Lane hit a hard ground ball to third that should've finished the inning for North Florida, however, it bounced off the glove and made its way into no man's land in the out field. It scored Delgado for a 6-1 lead.
The Ospreys answered in back-to-back innings, however.
A single moved the runner at first around to third and put the batter on second as he advanced from the throw. Jenkins got the next ball and elected to get the out at third to cut off the potential run. One scored to cut the lead 6-2.
The top of the fifth saw two runs for UNF as a walk and then a home run helped the Ospreys pull within two. Patterson returned with a strikeout, ground out to Lane and another swinging strike out to retire the inning.
UNA decided an answer was needed in the bottom of the inning.
In the lead off spot, enter Rippen but exit ball. The fourth pitch he took yard for the second time during the afternoon game to add a run to the board. After a double and a walk, North Florida opted for a new pitching change.
That was not all… Both runners advanced to second on a wild pitch. Loving singled up the middle to score both. Jenkins then walked to have two on before Sloan singled to center as Loving rounded third to score. Craska was hit to juice the bases.
Delgado hit a sac fly to right that was made off of a diving catch but it scored Jenkins to cap off the second five-run inning of the game.
It seemed to become all bats in this one as the Ospreys found another response in the sixth. A walk set up the second two run homer of the day for UNF to make it 11-6.
Morrill took over for Patterson. The next batter doubled down the right field line and a tough bounce at short allowed every one to safely make their base for the next at-bat. Another double scores one before one more plated to finalize a four-run inning.
A punch was taken and a punch was thrown.
Lane walked in the bottom of the sixth. Wilson then hit his first ever home run as a Lion to earn the third two-run shot of the afternoon to extend the score to 13-8.
The edge of a fan's seat is most likely where they were for the game. Once one pulled away, the other team responded.
North Florida singled to open the eighth before getting a walk. Two singles scored one and a sac fly added another. Stogner then took the hill for the Lions with one out. UNF then added another run by a sac fly to finish the inning to make it 13-11.
The story of the game: the answer. Wilson singled up the middle past short to get it rolling. Loving muscled the fourth pitch of the at-bat to left center for a double and his fourth RBI of the game to push it 14-11.
Stogner shut the door as he got a ground out, strike out and foul fly out to right field to end the game.
"Big team win for our program," said ehad coach Jad Prachniak. "I thought the game was symbolic of our season, had some adversity along the way but the guys stayed the course and kept fighting to earn a win against a tough North Florida team. This group enjoys playing with each other, I'm excited we get another chance to compete on Friday."
Pitchers of Record
W – Tripp Patterson (5-6)
L – Bryson Treichel (4-5)
S – John Allen Stogner (1)
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama plays the loser of the Thursday, 1 p.m. game between Austin Peay and Jacksonville on Friday at 9 a.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
