OXFORD, Miss. (March 4, 2026) – The University of North Alabama baseball team fell to Ole Miss 8-5 on Wednesday night at Swayze Field.

The Lions recorded 12 strikeouts against the Rebels, their second-highest total in a game this season. Ole Miss has been struck out 12 or more times in only one other game this year.

Junior right-handed pitcher Jake Boynar made his third appearance of the season and struck out five batters across three innings while allowing one hit.

North Alabama (7-6) held a lead through the top of the sixth inning thanks to timely hitting and solo home runs from Dylan Coleman and Petey Craska.

Coleman hit his team-best sixth home run of the season, while Craska finished 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and two runs scored.

The Lions totaled eight hits, including three doubles and two home runs.

Ole Miss (12-2) used a five-run sixth inning to take control of the game and secure the win.

Justin Battle, Justus Agosto, Sawyer Toney, Landon Scruggs and Gavin Oswald combined with Boynar to record the Lions' 12 strikeouts.

North Alabama struck first in the opening inning. After the first two batters were retired, Coleman stepped to the plate and launched a solo home run over the left-field wall on a 2-1 pitch to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Ole Miss answered in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to tie the game 1-1.

The Lions regained the lead in the fourth inning. Craska worked a 3-1 count before sending a drive over the left-field wall for a solo home run and a 2-1 advantage.

Battle relieved Boynar in the fourth inning and opened with a scoreless frame, recording a strikeout.

In the fifth, Battle issued a leadoff walk before the Lions turned a double play. Santoyo fielded a ground ball at second and flipped to Jenkins, who relayed to Craska at first to complete the play. Battle then struck out the final batter of the inning.

North Alabama added two runs in the sixth inning. Tyler LePage reached on an infield single after a miscommunication between the pitcher and catcher led to an errant throw. Craska followed with a walk, and Rippen was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Millard delivered an RBI single to shallow right field to score LePage. Santoyo then grounded out, allowing Craska to score and extend the lead to 4-1.

Ole Miss responded with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Agosto entered in relief and recorded a strikeout after issuing a leadoff walk. The Rebels followed with a double and a bloop single down the left-field line to score a run and cut the deficit to 4-2.

A wild pitch moved runners into scoring position before the Rebels tied the game on a two-run single to left field following a nine-pitch at-bat.

Toney then entered in relief.

With runners on the corners, play was delayed when lightning struck within eight miles of Swayze Field, forcing a 70-minute weather delay.

Following the delay, Scruggs entered the game and recorded a three-pitch strikeout. Ole Miss then added two runs on consecutive hits to take a 6-4 lead before the inning ended.

North Alabama cut into the deficit in the seventh inning.

Jackson Westmoreland drew a leadoff walk, and Alex Wade followed with a double to center field. Westmoreland scored on the play to bring the Lions within one run at 6-5.

Ole Miss answered with two runs later in the inning. Oswald entered in a left-handed matchup and allowed an RBI single to extend the Rebels' lead. A bases-loaded pop-up that dropped in the infield added another run to make the score 8-5.

The Lions were held scoreless over the final two innings. Craska added a double in the ninth, but North Alabama could not bring the tying run to the plate before the final out.
 

Pitchers of Record
W – JP Robertson (2-0)
L – Justus Agosto (0-1)
S – Landon Koenig (2)
 

COMING UP NEXT

North Alabama travels to Southern Miss in Hattiesburg for a weekend series at Pete Taylor Field beginning on Friday, March 6 at 6 p.m.

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