FLORENCE, Ala. (March 20, 2026) – The University of North Alabama baseball team walked off Eastern Kentucky 7-5 in its home conference opener Friday night.
Sophomore first baseman Petey Craska smashed a walk-off double to right field in the bottom of the 10th
Craska delivered in another clutch moment. Last season, he walked off Central Arkansas in a near similar win for the first UNA home conference opening win. A single to center field scored Leighton Jenkins for the 6-5 finish on March 14, 2025.
Understandably, this was the longest game of the season as it is the first to go to extra innings.
North Alabama (9-13, 2-2 ASUN) used a Will Millard home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game 5-5 before the Colonels gave way to the walk-off.
Craska went 2-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs, a double and his third home run of the year. Millard went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, a run and also his third home run of the season.
The duo combined for five of North Alabama's eight hits and all seven RBIs.
Eastern Kentucky (7-15, 2-2 ASUN) jumped on the Lions early with a 4-1 lead through the fourth. However, pitchers Justin Battle and Gavin Oswald gave the Lions seven innings of work with five strikeouts, three hits and only one run to claw the comeback.
As Luke Davenport got his first Friday start of his career, the pitching trio held EKU to a .167 average for their fourth worst batting game of the season.
Oswald dominated the Colonels as they went .083 against him for the lone hit through the final four innings. The defense held EKU scoreless in the seventh, eighth and 10th innings.
North Alabama saw seven of their eight hits come from the lead-off man. The Lions only struck out five times on Friday, elevating to 4-2 when striking out five times or fewer.
Left fielder Nash Rippen extended his on-base streak thanks to his two walks; Millard is on his heels now with 17 straight games reaching. Infielder Jackson Westmoreland has seven straight games with a hit, the longest on the team.
The sun started to fade as the Mike D. Lane field lights started to flicker on for the first night game of the season.
One half of the Mike covered in white for North Alabama while fans swarmed the first base side suited in red to support the Colonels.
The game itself started a little slow as the first hit did not come until the bottom of the second.
Davenport saw a threat in the first at third but the sophomore starter struck out the batter to wipe it away.
An opening fly out in the second helped the defense but a back-to-back walks saw the threat creep back up for UNA — a strikeout would make it two with both runners in scoring position for EKU.
A hit batter and walk gave EKU the early 1-0 lead; the Colonels added a second run in the top of the third from a left field single.
Westmoreland got aboard in the bottom of the third, Rippen then walked. As Millard stepped in, EKU took to the bullpen.
The catcher smoked the second pitch for a single through the left side pushing Westmoreland across to cut it to 2-1.
The first three Colonels loaded the bases in the fourth to substitute in Justin Battle in a pinch. A ground out and sacrifice fly scored two for EKU pushing it to 4-1.
Battle then caught two batters looking in the fifth to instill energy into the stadium.
He also hit a batter, but caught the runner leaning working a pick off move to perfection as Westmoreland chased him down for the tag.
Lead-off man Westmoreland singled through the left side to open the bottom of the inning.
The hero, Craska, bombed a 353-foot home run to bring the Lions back to within one, 4-3.
EKU answered right away with a home run to open the sixth — this was their final run of the evening.
The left-hander Oswald toed the rubber in the seventh; Immediately the 6-foot-6 graduate went to work with a fly out and back-to-back punch outs.
As he worked, it all fell quiet for the evening with the Lions down 5-3.
The Lions earned one hit in the next two innings — a double from Wes Walker.
Then came the ninth.
EKU led off with a single on the first pitch. The next batter lined one to Westmoreland who cleaned it up to keep the runner at first. The next flew out to Walker in right.
One out before Oswald to give his team a chance for the comeback.
He brought the right leg up, looks at the plate then dished it to Craska at first. As for the runner? Caught in a scramble as he took a jump towards second. Craska ran him down before tossing it to Westmoreland who got the runner once again to end the inning.
Three outs remained for UNA.
The second hole hitter, Craska dug in the left side. A new arm trots out in Jack Bell.
Four straight balls, Craska to first. Next batter strikes out, but a wild pitch moved the captain to second.
The home run clubhouse leader, Rippen, due up — a grounder to second moved Craska just 90 feet from a score.
Down two runs now with two outs flickering on the scoreboard with the tying run settling in the box.
One ball for Millard, then a second; Next pitch called strike.
A fast ball down the middle from Bell was sent back to deliverer as Millard took it 385-feet into the netting over Mike's Mountain in left field.
Fans leapt to their feet as the Mike roared to life with a tie ball game in the ninth.
Walker nearly had his own walk-off after Millard, but his right field shot fell just short at the warning track.
Extra baseball to be played.
Oswald makes quick work with two fly-outs to Rippen before a strikeout to close the opportunity for EKU.
Justin Santoyo was hit in the first at-bat. Bryant Loving laid down a sacrifice bunt in the next turn to move the lead-off runner to second.
The bunt landed right in front of the catcher who elected to take the force at second. His throw pulled the shortstop off the bag; Santoyo safe, error EKU.
Head coach Jad Prachniak called the runners in for an offensive timeout to group up with the next batter, Alex Wade.
Wade laid down another bunt, however this time it bounces right back to the pitcher.
Bell went for the force out at third. A bang-bang play ensued — the third base umpire signaled safe before waving that the third baseman was pulled off the bag.
Every Lion safe, zero outs on the board.
Westmoreland hit for a fielder's choice to short who went home to get the force out.
One out. Bases juiced. Now for the second hole hitter, Craska.
First pitch low and inside saw a fence swing from the sophomore. The next pitch a ball.
The next pitch came inside that saw Craska throw his bat, thinking he was hit by the pitch.
Home plate umpire called Craska back to the plate as he did not buy that he was hit.
Something about the 2-1 counts in big moments.
Next pitch was battered over the right fielder's head, took a hop and then a rest in the construction zone for a ground-rule double to end the game.
Players swarm the hero of the night. Chaos ensues as fans and the field alike, bellow with excitement from the walk-off win.
A hero was needed. In the 11th hour, he came through.
Pitchers of Record
W – Gavin Oswald (2-1)
L – Jack Bell (0-1)
S – N/A
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama can clinch the series tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
