BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 9, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team overcame a seventh inning deficit for the first time this season for a memorable 5-4 win over Belmont at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala. 

Down 4-2 in the ninth, UNA right fielder RJ Sherwood was the hero. Sherwood doubled with the bases loaded to score two, then a Bruin throwing error led Ethan Walker to touch home for the winning run.  

The Lions (11-20, 6-6 ASUN) led the Bruins in every batting statistic for the afternoon. Most notably, North Alabama hit 4-for-9 in lead off situations and had five total hits for the game. UNA threw seven different pitchers for the nine innings as Landon Scruggs earned his first win. 

Today was a redemption story for North Alabama as Belmont (14-21, 4-5 OVC) won in Nashville, Tenn. on March 4 by a score of 5-4 on a walk-off in extra innings. 

The Bruins left eight runners on base for the afternoon as they scored four runs in the sixth inning.  

Tonight was a night of firsts in America's oldest ballpark. This was North Alabama's first-ever game inside Rickwood Field. The Lions used a three-run final inning to make the comeback possible.  

This was also the first time that UNA has scored three runs in the ninth inning. The previous season high was two runs, most recently accomplished at Bellarmine on April 6. 

Seven pitchers made the win possible today with Hunter Bell starting on the mound. He went three innings with two strikeouts in 13 batters. Justus Agosto got an inning of work before Kyle Lewis filled in for an inning and an out. 

Quinn Petty got an appearance as John Allen Stogner, Caleb Menina and Landon Scruggs combined for the final three innings.  

True freshman Wes Walker had a .500 day as a designated hitter with a double and a home run. This marks Walker's first home run of the season and the first for the Lions at Rickwood Field. North Alabama boasts 16 homers on the year after the solo shot by Walker in the bottom of the fourth. 

Redshirt sophomore Ethan Walker has six appearances for the season but grabbed his first start tonight in left field. He hit 2-for-3 with a run, double and RBI for his time in the batter's box.

The historic ballpark had it all. A good crowd, a sunny day and mostly just the sound of mitts and the crack of the bats.  

Belmont cracked their bat first with a single to right field on the first pitch of the game. Bell worked back with a fly out and then a swinging strikeout for two down. He walked one but after a miscue from the pitcher, two runners found their way to scoring position. A hit batter then loaded the diamond. However, Leighton Jenkins got the routine play at second to leave the Bruins stranded.  

Bell struck out another in the second inning and got the ground out for two quick ones. Then Bryant Loving took a heater to the chest for the line out. 

The Lions found out that 181 hall-of-famers had played at Rickwood Field and decided to etch their name into the lore. Wes Walker doubled down the right field line on the first pitch that found the corner for him to slide in safely. 

His counterpart, Ethan Walker, decided to single to right field clearing the second baseman which seemed to be caught on a sliding play from the Bruin defender. 

Originally called an out from the first base official, head coach Jad Prachniak elected to discuss with the umpires. After a chat between the three and conversations with the Bruins head coach, the umpires reversed the call saying that the ball bounced into the glove without a clean catch.  

This plated Wes Walker for the lead run and Ethan Walker stood at first. 20 minutes and 48 seconds of game play passed before the next pitch was thrown as Belmont wanted to converse more. After a rule book showing and several more discussions, the game continued on.  

Agosto joined in on the fun in the top of the fourth. He got three up and three down with help from his defense, such as Petey Craska taking a liner to the chest that he knocked down to get the unassisted out at first. 

Wes Walker had himself a day. He continued in the fourth as he sat on one down the middle in a 2-1 count that landed three rows up in the bleachers over the right field wall for his first home run to make the lead, 2-0.  

Then came trouble for the Lions in the top of the sixth. The Bruins doubled in their second at-bat and a miscue for the pickoff led to a free base to third.  

The next pitch was wild which gave Belmont a run. The next batter was hit, which put runners on the corners. A hard hit up the middle was knocked down by Jonathan Lane, but no outs were made which scored another.  

The Bruins decided to steal both base runners and Delgado threw down to second to catch one but as communication was off, no one was there to receive it and bounced out to the outfield. This gave Belmont the leading run. They added one more after a single down the left field line to lead, 4-2.  

Then it all came down to the ninth. Scruggs stepped to the mound for the final three outs.  

The first Bruin flew out to Ethan Walker in left. The next singled between the middle infield. Another batter popped up to Delgado for the out. A stolen bag placed a runner on second.  

Scruggs threw two balls. Then caught the Bruin looking on the next. Another ball gave Belmont a prime hitting count. The right-hander caught him looking again for the full count. Scruggs slammed the door with an off-speed that froze the Bruin for the strikeout.  

Delgado walked to open the final offensive frame for UNA. Wes Walker grounded out to second who thought for second but took the out at first. Ryan West was due up, but Belmont changed pitchers. 

A chess match ensued as Prachniak sent Nash Rippen to the box for a pinch hitter situation. Rippen saw four straight balls. A wild pitch on the fourth one sent Delgado sliding headfirst into third. Ethan Walker then walked, loading the bases. 

Up step the eighth hole, right fielder RJ Sherwood. He swung at the first, then saw two straight balls. Another ball on the inside of the plate found the sweet spot of the bat which lifted over the third baseman's head to find the left field line as the umpire declared it fair.  

Delgado scored, then Rippen tied the game at 4-4. The left fielder threw to his cut-off man, the short stop. He slung it to second base as Sherwood slides in for the double but sidearms it as it skates past the second baseman. Third base coach Nick Patten immediately sent Walker home for the walk off score. 

This is the third walk-off celebration win for the Lions this season and third time that the walk-off hitter lost his jersey as he was monsooned by the team.  

"It was a great team win, proud of the way the group stuck together and found a way to get a walk off win," said Prachniak. "We are fortunate to have an opportunity to compete at Rickwood Field, you can feel the history as soon as you enter the stadium.  It is an incredible ballpark atmosphere and top-notch playing surface, first class hospitality by the staff at Rickwood." 

Pitchers of Record 
W – Landon Scruggs (1-2) 
L –  Owen Marsh (2-1) 
S – N/A 

COMING UP NEXT 
North Alabama gets a home series against the Austin Peay Governors scheduled at Mark Lee Legacy Field at Patriot Park in Muscle Shoals, Ala. with first pitch at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 11.  

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