CONWAY, Ark. (May 17, 2025) – The University of North Alabama baseball team swept its first series this season with the win over Central Arkansas, 7-5.

The Lions came into this series not having a win in Conway in school history. Now they leave with a series win after three straight victories. 

The Lions (23-29, 16-14 ASUN) had 10 hits that created the seven runs for the comeback win. This the second time North Alabama has had three consecutive games in a series with double digit hits, the first being the 'home' series against Central Arkansas in Birmingham, Ala. 

The Bears (19-33, 12-18 ASUN) were led by Nathan Negre who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

Multiple different storylines for this one. Most notably, Petey Craska tied the Division I single season record for doubles with 18 set by Andrew Knight in 2023. 

New faces joined the lineup today as Ryan West, Ethan Walker and Charlie Cochran earned starts. Jayden Sloan slid over to third while Matthew Delgado was the designated hitter for the game. 

Walker and Cochran both shared home run bombs. Equally, it was both their first time to hit a home run in their career. 

This is also the first series sweep for UNA this season. They won the series last night in their 8-4 win and locked up the Gold Division three seed for the ASUN tournament. 

Sloan hit for his fourth double this season as he went 3-for-4 with a plated run. Craska went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI to go along with the double. Ryan West enjoyed a 2-for-5 day with timely hitting as he plated. 

North Alabama had a bullpen game today as seven pitchers were on the bump during the afternoon slate. 

Reese Young got the start and went the longest with three innings pitched while tossing five strikeouts. 

Hunter Bell joined in and so did Carson Howard, combining for two innings. Howard tossed three straight swinging strikeouts to retire the side. 

Caleb Menina, Quinn Petty, Justus Agosto and Kyle Lewis closed out the for the Lions. Lewis earned his first win this season after tossing two strikeouts in a 1.1 inning showing. 

The Lions were humming in the first inning and had an opportunity to take a quick lead.

Sloan walked to open the inning before Craska was hit by a team leading 15 pitches this season. Rippen then doubled to right field that had the Bear defender run into the wall and lose the ball. 

Sloan rounded third but Craska was nipping at his heels, about three feet behind him. A signal for Craska to stop at third, Sloan thought it was for him and hesitated. The hesitation gave the Bears enough time to get the throw home to get Sloan and null any chances for a score. 

A walk and some timely singles for UCA scored one in the inning for them to strike first, 1-0.

Young got the start for the final regular season game. He struck out two in the bottom of the second to hold them scoreless. He added two more in the bottom of the third.

Then North Alabama found some help. A different look for the lineup today called for different heroes. 

Rippen walked, but the next Lion grounded into a double play wiping out the base runners. Ryan West singled to left field in the next at-bat. Then center fielder Ethan Walker hit for his first collegiate home run over the right field wall to help UNA take the 2-1 lead.

As Bell toed the rubber, the Bears put together a four hit, four run inning to take the 5-2 lead. Howard finished out the final two outs of the fourth inning. 

Leighton Jenkins walked to open the fifth inning. Sloan doubled for the fourth time this weekend to put two in scoring position. The Bears intentionally walked Craska to load the bases.

UCA changes pitchers at this point and Bryant Loving comes in to pinch run for Jenkins. However, the next Lion grounded into a double play but scored a run to cut the lead, 5-3.

Howard finished out the fifth inning as he struck out the side, three straight bears caught swinging.

Cochran did not want Walker to be by his lonesome. In a 3-2 count, the redshirt sophomore went yard over the left field wall for his first collegiate home run to trim the lead, 5-4. 

Then the top of the ninth came.

Loving walked to open the inning. Sloan singled for his third hit of the day.

Craska then hit his 18th double of the season, tying Andrew Knight's single season record for doubles with 18 set in 2023. 

Delgado was then intentionally walked to juice the bases. Rippen walked next at-bat for the go ahead run to walk in. Lane then sacrifice flied to right field to score Craska to take the lead 7-5. 

Lewis shut the door with a three-up, three-down sequence to give the Lions a 7-1 record in their last eight games played. They ride a three-game win streak into the tournament. 

Pitchers of Record
W – Kyle Lewis (1-1)
L –  Aden Velasquez (2-2)
S – N/A

COMING UP NEXT

North Alabama prepares for their first ASUN Tournament bid in DeLand, Fla. where they play No. 2 seed from the Graphite Division, Jacksonville. The double elimination tournament opens with this game on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 a.m. central time. 

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