FLORENCE, Ala. (February 20, 2024) – The University of North Alabama baseball team lost 6-2 to Belmont in the first home game of the season in Florence, Ala. The Bruins used 12 hits to propel them to a victory over the Lions in the first midweek game of the year.

On an RBI single late in the game, redshirt sophomore infielder Jackson Ferrigno extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 31 games, tying the Division I program record for the longest streak previously set by Luke Harper. Ferrigno has a chance to break the record on Friday against Morehead State in Florence. 

University of Charleston transfer Dane Sykes started the game on the bump for the Lions. Sykes would finish his day allowing three hits, no walks and no earned runs. The Lions had five pitchers throw on Tuesday, each throwing fewer than two innings. 

Southpaw Caleb Menina would be the next member of the committee to take the mound. The University of New Orleans transfer would strike out four batters in his UNA debut, but would allow the first two runs of the game on an RBI single from Mason Landers and a wild pitch just two batters later in the top of the third.
 
The Lions would answer in the home half of the fifth inning. Alex Wilson led off the inning with a double and scored on a Belmont fielding error. 

Belmont would add on to the lead in the top of the seventh after following a walk, a single and a two-run single by Landers, who picked up his third RBI of the game. The Bruins would not stop there, adding on a two run home run from Kaden Galson in the eighth.
 
North Alabama threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning with four straight runners reaching base. Kyle Machado and Gehrig Frei opened the inning with walks, followed by the RBI single from Ferrigno and a walk by Levi Jensen to load the bases. 

Belmont made a pitching change, bringing in Jordan Zuger who sat down the next three North Alabama batters in order, escaping the jam. 

The Lions netted a base runner in the ninth in an attempt to rally before ending the game on a double play. 

Justin Battle, Carson Howard and Brycen Parrish would also make appearances on the mound for the Lions. Battle and Howard each tallied two innings and allowed two earned runs while combining for three strikeouts. Parrish allowed one hit, but pitched a clean inning, allowing no runs and only facing three batters. 

Catcher Levi Jensen successfully caught two runners stealing in his third start of the season. 
 
Pitchers of Record
W – Joe Ruzicka (1-0)
L – Caleb Menina (0-1)
S – None
 
COMING UP NEXT
 
The Lions stay at home to take on Morehead State in a weekend series Feb. 23-25. Game one begins on Friday at 4 p.m.

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