FLORENCE, Ala. (February 23, 2024) – The University of North Alabama baseball team fell to Morehead State by a 5-2 final Friday at Mike D. Lane Field in Florence. A three-run third inning for the Eagles helped power the OVC foe to their third victory of the season. 

The Lions fall to 1-4 on the season, while the Eagles improve to 3-2 to open the three-game set.

North Alabama struck first in the home half of the first inning thanks to a two-out rally. Gehrig Frei and Kyle Machado both notched singles before advancing a base due to a wild pitch. A dropped third strike would push Frei across home to open up the scoring.

Morehead State would answer just a few frames later in the top of the third. The Eagles used an error, a walk and a single to load the bases for designated hitter Roman Kuntz, who would tie the game on a sacrifice fly. Isaias Guzman would tack on two more runs on a single to left field just one batter later. 

The Eagles tallied one more run in the fourth after Ryley Preece drove in a runner on a double to left field. 

UNA senior Jacob Bradshaw started on the mound for the Lions, making his second start of the season. Bradshaw allowed just three earned runs in five innings while striking out five MSU batters. 

The score would hold at 4-1 until the home half of the eighth inning as both pitching staffs duked it out. The teams would combine for 22 strikeouts, with 12 of them belonging to UNA. 

Right-handed pitcher and Florence native Brycen Parrish made his team leading third appearance of the season in the sixth inning and would finish the day with an impressive final line of 4.0 innings pitched, two hits, no walks, one run and seven strikeouts. 

Parrish now leads the team in strikeouts (13), innings (8.0) and ERA (2.25) after Friday's game. 
 
In the eighth inning, Kyle Machado launched a towering shot to left field that would cut the Morehead State lead to 4-2, but a groundout would end the inning. 

The Eagles answered not long after with a solo shot of their own courtesy of Preece, bringing the lead back to 5-2, the eventual final score. 
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Pitchers of Record
W – Luke Helton (2-0)
L – Jacob Bradshaw (0-1)
S – Will Grimmett (2)
 
COMING UP NEXT
 
The two teams meet again on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. before wrapping up the series on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m.


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