FLORENCE, Ala. (May 14, 2026) — The University of North Alabama baseball team won game one of the Austin Peay series on Thursday night, 9-2, at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
The victory marked the 17th conference win of the season, the most in the North Alabama Division I history, surpassing the 16-win total from the 2025 campaign. Each season under head coach Jad Prachniak, UNA has had more overall and more conference wins than the year prior.
North Alabama (26-26, 17-11 ASUN) had two players, Petey Craska and Will Millard, become double-digit home run hitters after tonight. Craska had two in the game, his second multiple home run game of the season, while Millard added one of his own to open scoring. Craska now has 11 home runs this season, ranking fourth on the team, while Millard has 10, ranking fifth.
The baseball program has never had five batters with double-digit home runs in the same season. UNA totals 81 home runs as a team on the year and is the Atlantic Sun leaders in the category.
This marked the 10th game this season in which a Lion hit two or more home runs. Six different Lions have accomplished the feat this season: Dylan Coleman has done it three times; Millard and Craska twice each; and Nash Rippen, Wes Walker and Tyler LePage once each.
Austin Peay (24-28, 14-14 ASUN) put two runs up in the top of the fourth to cut the Lion lead to just three after a Paris Pridgen base-clearing triple. However, after graduate left-hander Gavin Oswald entered the game, the Govs could not find another run to cross.
Oswald was masterful as he entered in the bottom of the fourth with one out to go. He worked the final 5.1 innings as he allowed three hits, zero walks and shutout Austin Peay during his tenure on the mound. The Govs hit a dismal .158 against the big left-hander.
The lefty earned his seventh win of the season and holds the Division I record for wins as a pitcher. Oswald has made 21 appearances this season, all out of the bullpen.
However, the Lion defense was on full display on Thursday. On three separate occasions, the Govs had a runner at third with one out. Between the pitching staff and defensive prowess, the Lions stalled Austin Peay all three times to not allow another run to score. UNA held Austin Peay, the fourth-best batting-average team in the ASUN, to .250 at the plate.
Right fielder Wes Walker made a sprinting snag as he ran into the right center wall to end the inning in the top of the seventh by the tip of his glove. Center fielder Bryant Loving, who seemingly came from thin air, ranged into left-center to complete a grab which seemed to have hit in the perfect part of the gap.
Third baseman Justin Santoyo flashed his green — or gold — glove with two hot corner hits down the third base line that he laced to Craska at first just in time.
Even starting pitcher Justus Agosto jumped off the mound for a bunt that popped up down the third base line for a great defensive play that helped work around a Govs lead-off double.
After the three hits in the eighth inning, UNA jumped to 11 hits in total. The Lions moved to 17-3 when out-hitting their opponents. The three home runs moved the team to 19-4 when hitting two or more home runs in a game.
The 11 hits led to a .333 average for the Lion squad with lead-off batters hitting .625 tonight.
North Alabama struck out only four times for the evening. The team moves to 5-2 when having only four strikeouts in a game.
Dylan Coleman, Nash Rippen, Craska and Millard all turned in two-hit outings as Jackson Westmoreland and Craska led the team with two runs scored each. Nine total RBIs tonight for UNA, being split between Craska (5) and Millard (4).
Agosto earned his seventh consecutive start as he went 3.2 innings for his final game at the "Mike". His defense was on full display as mentioned, but the Pennsylvania native threw two strikeouts and allowed just two runs during his time on the hill.
Pitchers of Record
W – Gavin Oswald (7-3)
L – Colin Carney (1-1)
S – N/A
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama can win the series tomorrow at 7 p.m. This can tie the record for the most series wins in a Division I season.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
