FLORENCE, Ala. -- The University of North Alabama remained in first place in the Gulf South Conference baseball standings with a  double-header split with West Alabama at Mike Lane Field. UNA won the opener 8-7 before dropping the nightcap 6-1.

UNA, now 15-9 overall, is 10-4 in GSC play. Union is second at 9-4, followed by West Alabama at 9-5 and Valdosta State at 8-6.

In the opener, UNA starter Tyrler Joyner gave up six runs, five earned, on nine hits and six walks over the first five innings but left the game with the Lions holding a 7-6 lead. UNA held on the 8-7 win, pushing Joyner to 7-0 on the season.

West Alabama got three runs in the top of the first inning but UNA answered with two in the bottom of the frame. T.J. Lockett had a leadoff double and scored ona Davis Elliott single. Kyle Hubbuch added a solo home run to make it 3-2.

The Tigers got a run in the second inning to extend their lead to 4-2 but a four-run bottom of the second gave UNA a 6-4 lead. Lockett and Elliott each had RBI-singles and then both scored on an error by the West Alabama leftfielder.

After UWA tied the game with single runs in the third and fourth innings, UNA regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Ben Cooley walked, stole second and scored on an RBI-single by Chris Blakey.

Lane Wallace entered in relief for UNA and shut the Tigers out for three innings.  

Logan Carter singled in the eighth and scored on a Brandt Holland sacrifice fly to make it 8-6.
Wallace gave up a leadoff single to open the ninth and that runner eventually scored to close the gap to 8-7. Channing Wall pitched a scoreless ninth for UNA to earn his third save.

In the nightcap, UNA starter Bradley Bailey gave up a solo home run in the first, two runs in the third and allowed two base runners in the fourth before exiting the game. Both of those runners eventually scored on a double by Luke Phillips off reliever Shane Priest, and another run scored on an error to push UWA's lead to 6-0.

UNA got a single run in the fourth when Drake Tucker singled and scored on an RBI-single by Blakey.

Bailey (2-4) took the loss for UNA, allowing five runs on six hits over three innings with four walks and one strikeout. Priest pitched four innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

The Lions and Tigers play the final game of the series Sunday at 1:00 p.m.