FLORENCE, Ala.-- Tyler Joyner got his sixth win in six starts this season in a 3-2 North Alabama win over Lee in the first game of a double-header, before the Flames rallied for a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.

With the split, North Alabama is 13-7 overall and 8-3 in the Gulf south Conference. Lee is now 15-6 and 6-5.

In the opener, Joyner (6-0) pitched a two-hit shutout through the first eight innings and North Alabama broke open a pitcher's duel with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. T.J. Lockett doubled with one out and Davis Elliott walked. Lee pulled starter Art Vidrio, who had allowed just three hits, and Logan Carter greeted reliever Kit Larson with a two-run double to break a 0-0 tie. Carter then scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

Joyner struckout the leadoff batter in the ninth before allowing a single. He then got a ground-out before allowing back-to-back singles that cut the UNA lead to 3-1. Reliever Channing Wall came on and allowed a run-scoring single that made it 3-2 before getting the final out on a fly-ball to left.

Joyner pitched eight and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on five hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts. Wall earned his second save of the season, allowing one hit and recording one out.

In the nightcap, UNA took a 2-0 lead with a solo home run by Kyle Hubbuch in the second and an RBI-single from Carter in the third. North Alabama starter Bradley Bailey gave up a solo home run to Nathan Wierzgac in the fourth inning and another to Jeffrey Chapuran in the fifth to tie the game.

Lee then took the lead with two runs in the sixth inning on two hits and two walks. Bailey allowed a leadoff single and followed with a base on balls. Dylan Stewart came on in relief but could not stop the threat. After another walk and a wild pitch, Lee got a run on a sacrifice fly. A Jordan Howard single drove in another run to extend Lee's lead to 4-2.

UNA got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when Hubbuch reached on an error and later scored on a ground-out by Peyton Sockwell to make it 4-3.

Lee got two more runs in the seventh for a 6-3 advantage and Larson came on to earn his eighth save for Lee.

Bailey (2-3) took the loss for UNA, allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in five innings. Stewart gave up two runs on one hit with two walks and one strikeout in one inning. Wall pitched an inning, allowing one hit with one walk.

UNA and Lee are scheduled to play the final game of the series Monday at 2 p.m. but game time may change due to projected rain.


Logan Carter


Brandt Holland


Peyton Sockwell