Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 28, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team won their opening game against the Lipscomb Bisons on Friday by a score of 1-0. Graduate Brycen Parrish went the full nine innings and struck out five batters while only allowing two hits for the shutout victory.  

Parrish's shutout was the first nine inning shutout of the Division I era. The last player to do so was Tyler Joyner against Christian Brothers on April 15, 2018.

The Lions (8-15, 5-2 ASUN) only scored one run off of a Bryant Loving solo shot in the top of the second in a 2-1 count. North Alabama tallied seven hits with three coming from redshirt freshman Petey Craska who went a perfect 3-for-3.  

Loving's home run was the 12th for the Lions this season and second for him. He is tied for second in the team in homers with three other players.

The two hits allowed ties a season-low that came in the March 1 matchup against the UAB Blazers.

Lipscomb (9-15, 3-4 ASUN) was held 2-for-28 in the batter's box. The .071 batting average  also ties a season low for UNA opponents.

Parrish has now pitched the most innings in a game by a single UNA pitcher this season; previously it was freshman Tripp Patterson in his complete game against UAB on March 1 with eight. Parrish's previous longest outing was six innings, achieved three times.  

The graduate right-hander threw 115 total pitches, 80 being strikes for a 69.6 percent K/BB clip. The five strikeouts are the most in a game for Parrish this season. This ties his lowest hit total this season, which came on opening day against Army.  

His ERA was a 6.54 before tonight, which had him at 24th in the ASUN and now exits the game with a 5.09 ERA moving him up to 19th. That also moves him into 10th in opposing batting average (.233) and now second in innings pitched (40.2). 

After his 25th strikeout, he is second on the team this season behind senior right-hander Dylan Morrill. Parrish now moves up to fifth in the conference in batters stuck out looking with 11 after he added two more today. 

North Alabama hit .273 (3-for-11) with two outs today; Loving's homer came with two-outs. Matthew Delgado, Jonathan Lane and Leighton Jenkins all secured a hit, as well. Jenkins secured his third double of the season in the top of the fifth.  

For three straight innings, North Alabama forced Lipscomb to go three-up and three-down. Lipscomb did not get its first hit of the game until the bottom of the fifth where they hit one into no man's land in right field.  

In three of the first four innings, Loving secured at least one out from his spot at third base. A slew of terrific plays came from the middle infield to hold the Parrish shutout. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Bisons sent one up the middle at second where Lane makes a back-handed snag to where he lasers it to first for the out.  

The second Lipscomb hit of the day got him to first. However, with two outs the Bisons tried to steal and Delgado caught the runner to end the bottom of the sixth. This is the senior transfer's seventh runner caught stealing this season which has him third in the conference.  

Jenkins secured the first two outs of the bottom of the eighth. The first more routine while the second caught the Lions defense in a shift. Jenkins hovered over second base for the left-handed batter. The Bisons sent one towards Jenkins gap at short that he back-handed before lifting off his back leg to make the out to Craska at first. 

The ESPN+ announcer mentioned Jenkins' web gem was something of a Derek Jeter-esque play before sounding out the ESPN theme song directly after. 

Parrish ended the seventh, eighth and ninth innings in three-up and three-down fashion. North Alabama had six innings that resembled this type of play.  

Pitchers of Record 
W – Brycen Parrish (2-4) 
L –  Cole O' Brien (1-2) 
S – N/A 

COMING UP NEXT 
The Lions play game two of the series tomorrow starting at 12 p.m. Game two was originally slated for 2 p.m. but as weather moves in, the game is moved up. Fans can follow live stats at RoarLions.com, but game two will not be streamed. 

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