CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (April 24, 2025) – After winning the first series between the two teams this season, the University of North Alabama baseball team makes a return trip to Austin Peay for a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series starting Friday, April 25 in Clarksville, Tenn.
 
The series begins under the lights Friday at 6 p.m. Game two is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, while the series finale is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. The series will take place at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
 
Austin Peay is the ASUN Gold Division Leader with a 15-3 conference record, including two losses to North Alabama on April 11 and 13 to decide a three-game set in Muscle Shoals, Ala. This marked UNA's final series before playing for the first time at the new Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
 
North Alabama currently sits one game back of second place in the division entering this weekend with a 10-8 conference record, trailing Lipscomb at 11-7. This follows a series win over Bellarmine at home last weekend.
 
All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available via SIDEARM.
 
SERIES INFO
North Alabama vs. Austin Peay
Friday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 27 at 1 p.m.
Location: Clarksville, Tennessee
Venue: Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park.
 
Game 1: ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets
Game 2: ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets
Game 3: ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets  
 
NOTES
 
LAST TIME OUT: UNA has played each of the last four games at the new Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium, which will open in full for the 2026 season. The Lions took two of three from Bellarmine, including a 4-2 win on Friday and 11-1 mercy rule win on Saturday. UNA also hosted a midweek game on Tuesday, falling 10-3 to Missouri Valley Conference contender Murray State. Graduate student RJ Sherwood launched a three-run homer in the setback.
 
SERIES HISTORY: UNA and Austin Peay have played 27 times on the diamond. The Lions have a 16-10-1 record against the Govs. In 12 meetings as Division I opponents, the series is split evenly at six wins apiece. Just two weeks ago, the Lions won a walk-off in the series opener thanks to Nash Rippen's two-RBI hit. After falling in game two, the Lions stormed back with a season-best offensive performance to win 16-12 in the rubber match.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS: UNA is 15-23 overall and 10-8 in league play. The Lions are in their seventh season of Division I baseball and is three wins away from tying the most single-season wins in the DI era. A key factor in this is the freshman duo of Petey Craska at the plate and Tripp Patterson on the mound. Craska, a redshirt at Georgia Tech last season, is batting .320 with a team-high nine doubles. Patterson, a true freshman from Alexandria, Ala., owns a 2.95 ERA over 61.0 innings.
 
SCOUTING THE GOVS: Austin Peay is the NCAA Division I leader in overall wins so far with a 31-10 overall record. The Govs are on a four-game heater following a sweep of Eastern Kentucky and a 16-10 midweek win over Purdue. Austin Peay has the fourth-best batting average in the nation at .329 and rank sixth with 99 doubles. Senior Cameron Nickens is batting .412 to rank among the nation's top hitters, while the pitching staff owns a collective 5.94 ERA with three players sporting a sub-4.00 ERA.
 
TRIPPED UP: Last Friday, true freshman Tripp Patterson pitched his first 9.0 inning game for a 4-2 complete game victory over Bellarmine. Patterson notched his fifth quality start of the season, allowing just two runs on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. He owns three wins in 10 starts so far this season.
 
MR. 200: Senior captain Jonathan Lane etched his name into the UNA record book last weekend, recording his 200th career hit against Bellarmine. Lane is just five hits away from passing former MLB standout Josh Willingham for fourth on the career hit list. Lane is the fifth UNA player to accomplish this feat — and the first at the Division I level — joining UNA Hall of Famers James Barksdale (261), Douglas Hargett (243) and Willingham (205), as well as 2018 graduate Kyle Hubbach (215).
 
NEW DIGS: On Thursday, April 17, UNA played its first game at the new Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium. While aspects of the stadium are still under construction, the field was deemed playable last week and hosted four games. Hundreds of spectators gathered above the left field wall in the College View Church of Christ viewing area to watch the action.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.