CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (April 27, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team made a late surge in the three-game series finale on Sunday against Austin Peay, but dropped the final game of the Atlantic Sun Conference series in Clarksville, 11-7. 

The Lions (15-26, 10-11 ASUN) had nine hits for the game with six RBIs to score their seven runs. North Alabama was led by redshirt freshman Petey Craska as he went 3-for-4 with three runs, one RBI and one double. 

Six different batters earned a hit, while Matthew Delgado and Craska had multi-hit days. Wes Walker added two RBIs.

Austin Peay (34-10, 18-3 ASUN) used seven runs across the sixth and seventh innings to take the lead and hold on to win. 

North Alabama threw three pitchers as Brycen Parrish started on the mound. John Allen Stogner added two relief innings with two strikeouts for the day before Justin Battle finished the final inning. 

Austin Peay scored in the opening inning in this one with a runner scoring off a single. However, Parrish had the bases load up on him before he worked back to get the remaining two outs to end the inning. 

Parrish threw three scoreless innings after the fact to let his offense find their spark. 

Craska walked in the top of the fourth, and then Delgado doubled down the line which put both in scoring position. Wes Walker hit a grounder to third that scored Craska. Senior captain Jonathan Lane followed suit in the next at-bat and did the same thing to score Delgado.

After a Governor reached on a fielder's choice in the fifth, Cameron Nickens homered for a two-run inning to retake the 3-2 lead.

The Lions answered in the top of the sixth with a single from Craska. He advanced on a wild pitch to second. Delgado walked and another wild pitch placed Craska at third. Wes Walker singled past a diving second baseman and scored Craska again. Lane then lined one up through the middle to score Delgado for the 4-3 advantage. 

The Govs then responded with a four-run inning in the bottom of the sixth as three singles loaded the bases before Stogner stepped in for Parrish. Two singles and a double helped score three more runs for Austin Peay in the bottom of the seventh.

Craska smoked a ball to right center as it bounced off the wall in the air for a double. Delgado moved Craska to third off of a grounder to second. Lane hit a shot to the shortstop who lofted the throw, which pulled the first baseman off the bag to reach the runner. 

Nash Rippen walked the next at-bat. Bryant Loving sent one streaking over an airborne second baseman for a single. As Rippen rounded second, the right fielder crow hopped it to third for the final out to end the inning,

The Govs added one more insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. 

Alex Wilson blooped one to the third baseman as the ninth began. He advanced on a wild pitch in the next at-bat, then Ryker Billingsley was hit to put two on board. Craska singled to center field and scored Wilson. The final Lion grounded into a double play to end the game, 11-7.  

Pitchers of Record
W – Jacob Weaver (4-1)
L –  Brycen Parrish (3-6)
S – N/A

COMING UP NEXT
The Lions play four games at home this week with UT Martin coming to town Tuesday, April 29 at 4 p.m. at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium. 

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