FLORENCE, Ala. (April 16, 2026) – The University of North Alabama baseball team opens the second half of conference play with Lipscomb on Friday night at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium at 7 p.m.
Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast. The Friday night game is streamed through ESPN+ with "Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray and his partner, Bryan Neece while being accompanied by sideline reporter Gyvan Hammons. The Saturday game will be streamed through Roar Lions Productions with
Grant Wakefield on the call. The Sunday game returns with "Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray and his partner, Douglas Hargett on ESPN+.
The Lions host a slew of activities at the Mike this weekend beginning with Friday as UPC will host a tailgate on the berm with T-shirts and an ice cream bar; Furry Friend Friday is in, so bring your pups to the park. On Saturday, Bank Independent is giving away 250 commemorative baseballs at the game for all fans – first come, first serve. On Sunday, IFC is hosting a tailgate on the berm for all those to enjoy the beautiful weather.
North Alabama vs Lipscomb – Furry Friend Friday
Friday, April 17, 2026
7 p.m.
Live Stats |
ESPN+ |
Tickets
North Alabama vs Lipscomb – Commemorative Baseball for first 250 fans
Saturday, April 18, 2026
2:30 p.m.
Live Stats |
Radio |
Tickets
North Alabama vs Lipscomb – Run for Ribeye
Sunday, April 19, 2026
1 p.m.
Live Stats |
ESPN+ |
Tickets
NOTES
THE RUNDOWN: The UNA baseball team throttled UT Martin 21-3 in seven innings on Tuesday in Martin, Tenn. at Skyhawk Baseball Field. North Alabama fell just shy of the Division I record for runs in a game with 21; UNA scored 22 against Bellarmine in Louisville in 2024. This is the first time since 2013 that UNA has scored 21 runs in a game, last accomplished at home against Kentucky State. This is the second midweek win of the season for North Alabama and their fourth consecutive win after the sweep of Austin Peay on the road this past weekend. UNA has scored 13 or more runs in the past three games with two games finished by way of mercy rule.
Dylan Coleman led the Lions with a 3-for-4 hitting day that included his third game with two home runs mashed over the wall. The designated hitter did it against Samford in Birmingham and Central Arkansas at home.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 43rd through 45th all-time meetings between the two programs. After the Atlantic Sun moved to Divisions a season ago, these two meet each other twice a season now; Lipscomb took the first series of this season, however UNA took the final game between the pair, 13-7. North Alabama has won only two series during the Division I era against Lipscomb, both coming in 2021 with one being a sweep. The Lions are 20-22 overall with eight of those wins coming during the Division I era; 2021 saw five wins over the Bisons. The Lipscomb matchup holds the record for the second longest game in North Alabama school history at 15 innings with over five hours of play in 2021 that saw UNA win, 6-5.
SCOUTING THE BISONS: Since the first series meeting, the Bisons have went 9-9 during that stretch, coming off four straight games at home. With an overall record of 15-18 and a conference record of 8-7, Lipscomb sits squarely in third place in the Gold division. The Bisons have three conference series wins while dropping their latest two to Bellarmine and Central Arkansas. The first time around between the programs, the Friday and Saturday games were decided by three-runs or less while UNA had a six-run win to salvage the series. Lipscomb is hitting .292 as a team this season and the second-best fielding team in the ASUN at a .973.
CRASH & GNASH: Dylan Coleman and
Nash Rippen have both crossed the double-digit home run threshold for the 2026 season. Coleman, or Crash, leads the team with 14 home runs this season while Nash, or Gnash, just eclipsed the 10 home run mark on Tuesday. North Alabama has not had two double-digit home run teammates since 2000 with Josh Willingham at 13 and Corey Murks at 10. The last closest came in 2024 with Gehrig Frei smashing 15 while teammate Andrew Knight had nine. In 2001, three players in Douglas Hargett, Jeff Cochran and Michael Searcy had nine each.
COUNTDOWN IS ON: Designated hitter and third baseman
Dylan Coleman had a home run in each of the three games against Austin Peay this past weekend before two more against UT Martin. He is the clubhouse leader with his 14th blast on Tuesday, making him one shy of 2024 Gehrig Frei's 15 that sits as the current Division I record for home runs in a season. Coleman eyes the great Josh Willingham who sits at 15 and is three away from tying the all-time record set by Mike Burns in 1989 with 17. The Lions have 18 game left before the end of the regular season to try and see Coleman accomplish the goal.
OZZY TRAIN: Graduate bullpen arm,
Gavin Oswald, currently sits at five wins this season with a 5-1 overall record. Oswald currently is tied with current pitching coach
Jacob James and current teammate
Tripp Patterson for the most wins as a pitcher during the Division I era. He sits tied atop the ASUN for wins by a pitcher in 2026.
UP NEXT: After Lipscomb, North Alabama gets on the road for the next four games starting with Tennessee Tech in Cookeville at Quillen Field at Bush Stadium on Wednesday, April 22 at 6 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
