FLORENCE, Ala. (May 15, 2026) — The University of North Alabama baseball team won its seventh series of the season on Friday night with a 6-1 win against Austin Peay at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
This marks back-to-back seasons with seven series wins for the Lions.
North Alabama (27-26, 18-11 ASUN) tacked on runs behind an outstanding showing from sophomore starting pitcher Tripp Patterson. The left-handed pitcher threw his sixth quality start of the year with 6.0 innings pitched, five strikeouts as he held Austin Peay scoreless all six of his innings.
Patterson opened the first inning with three straight strikeouts, one of which he worked back from a full count to sit down the Gov swinging.
Austin Peay (24-29, 14-15 ASUN) was shutout for eight straight innings between the trio of Patterson, Kelly Crumpton and closer Luke Davenport. APSU hit a solo shot home run in the final frame to get on the scoreboard.
Another defensive showing to follow the Thursday night win, UNA pitchers had 12 strikeouts tonight — four of which caught batters looking. That is the second most in a game this season behind the 13 set against SIUE and Saint Louis.
Patterson opened the game with four straight punch outs. After Crumpton relieved him in the seventh inning, Crumpton struck out the side to work around a runner at first. Davenport closed the final two innings of the game with four strikeouts and one hit allowed.
UNA had another superb showing from the outfield as 10 fly balls were caught tonight, including one that saw Nash Rippen scaling "Mike's Mountain" in left field for the final out of the eighth inning.
The Lions returned with their second consecutive double-digit hit game with 10 total tonight; this is the first time since the final Eastern Kentucky game on April 26 and the May 1 game against Bellarmine.
Tonight was the second of consecutive games hitting .333 for UNA with lead-off batters hitting a whopping .750 on the night. UNA also tied the single game season-high of six doubles as Wes Walker and Will Millard notched two each.
Millard led the brigade with three hits, three runs batted in, two doubles and a run plated himself. Walker, Tyler LePage and Westmoreland all added two hits each, while Bryant Loving snagged a double for himself.
Pitchers of Record
W – Tripp Patterson (6-4)
L – Ryker Walton (2-4)
S – N/A
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama will look to sweep the series tomorrow at 2 p.m.
With a win on Saturday in the regular season finale, North Alabama can clinch at least a share of the Atlantic Sun Conference Gold Division Championship. If UNA wins and Central Arkansas wins, the Lions will win the division outright.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
