FLORENCE, Ala. (February 18, 2026) – The University of North Alabama baseball team earned its first midweek win of the season over Murray State in run rule fashion, 15-5. Last season, Murray State finished 44-17, won the Oxford Regional and advanced past Duke in the Durham Super Regional to make the College World Series.
The last run rule came against Bellarmine in the opening of the field portion of Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent on April 19, 11-1.
This is the second midweek game of the season, in back-to-back nights — UNA fell to UAB on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
During midweek games in 2025, the Lions fell in close games to the likes of No. 25 Auburn (6-2), No. 1 Tennessee (7-5), No. 10 Alabama (4-3) and Murray State (5-3) before breaking through against Middle Tennessee on April 8 with a 5-2 win.
The Lions (3-2) used 11 hits with four home runs to score at least one run in every inning except the first and sixth. For the 15 runs, 15 RBIs accompanied them — last season, UNA had only one game of 15 RBIs or more which came against Austin Peay on April 13 with 16. Eight of the 15 RBIs came with two-outs.
Murray State (2-2) opened the first inning with four runs but was held scoreless aside from the fourth inning for the rest of the game. Seven Racers took the mound in the loss with Park Patterson conceding the lead in the fifth inning.
As a team, UNA hit .367 for the game in their 30 plate appearances — that percentage rose to .412 when runners were attached to the bases.
The four pitchers combined for a 56 percent strike rate with redshirt freshman Jordan Touhey earning his first win. The Arizona native went three innings with one strikeout while allowing just one hit and zero runs for Murray State.
Senior Justus Agosto provided relief with another 2.2 innings with four strikeouts after Touhey. Transfer Kelly Crumpton slammed the door as he struck out the side in the final inning of work.
Nine of 10 Lions scored at least one run in the afternoon contest with Cayden Sheffield, Petey Craska, Dylan Coleman, Wes Walker, Will Millard and Leighton Jenkins all stacking two to the stat sheet.
Junior catcher Millard stole the show as he went .500 for the day with two blasts over Mike's Mountain in left field, he added three RBIs to his totals.
Right-handed pitcher Jake Boynar and second baseman Bryant Loving earned their first starts of the 2026 season.
As clouds stuck overhead, some slight rain drizzled down covering the new seats in the grandstands of Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
Boynar stepped out into the drizzle to take his first pitch as a Lion — he needed only four to catch the first Racer looking. After the first strikeout of the game, the strike zone seemed to shrink.
The next five Racers earned their way onto the base path by being hit or a walk before Touhey took reign. A fielder's choice from Loving and Sheffield fly out left runners on the bases.
Touhey earned three straight outs in the top of the second to keep it at a 4-0 MSU advantage.
Two straight outs in the bottom of the second loomed large before Millard settled into the right side of the box — in a 2-0 count, he blasted a 395-foot home run for the inaugural score for UNA.
Loving earned a walk at the next at-bat before Leighton Jenkins wanted in on the action. The shortstop boomed his own 366-foot Big Man's Bomb over the wall to cut the lead, 4-3.
The bottom of the third nearly had the same script with two outs from the first two batters. Wes Walker then doubled in the third at-bat into right field — the next two batters to juice the bases. Loving was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat to score Walker for the 4-4 tie.
Touhey had the leadoff batter fly out to right center before finishing his Wednesday showing. Agosto stepped in and allowed the other run for the Racers before striking out the final batter to finish the inning.
The Lions kicked down the door in the fourth inning.
Sheffield was hit in the lead off at-bat. Craska singled through the left side of the shifted infield to put two on. Dylan Coleman moved runners around with a ground out to first base.
Enter Walker again who singled through the right side of the infield to push the two across and the lead. Nash Rippen and Millard added two home runs to extend the lead, 9-5.
Jenkins walked to open the fifth inning and a single to center field in a full count from Sheffield put two on. Tait Nunnally laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to do a job as he nearly beat out the throw.
With first base open, the Racers intentionally walked Craska. Coleman then hit a shot between the left side infield to score Jenkings. Two walks and a ground out scoured three more before a final out could occur to create the sizable 13-4 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Crumpton needed just 11 pitches to strikeout the side as he caught two of the three Racers looking.
The Lions added two more in the bottom of the seventh to finalize the game in run rule fashion.
Pitchers of Record
W – Jordan Touhey (1-1)
L – Parker Patterson (0-1)
S – N/A
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama finishes a run of eight straight home games with Saint Louis this weekend at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium beginning on Friday at 3 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
