FLORENCE, Ala. (February 20, 2026) – The University of North Alabama baseball team opened the weekend series against Saint Louis with a win in dramatic fashion, 7-4.
The Lions (4-2) used a four-run eighth inning to secure the comeback win; last season, the Lions won only two games when trailing after the seventh. Wes Walker stepped into a pinch hit opportunity in the eighth and secured a two-RBI single for the lead.
The Lions deployed Tripp Patterson and Gavin Oswald in the win, giving the graduate left-handed Oswald his second win of the season.
The two combined for 13 strikeouts with Patterson leading with seven. This matched his career high that he set a season ago, once against Bellarmine and the other against Saint Louis — both resulting in wins. Oswald’s six strikeouts is a career high as a Lion.
Saint Louis (0-5) took a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning before three Billikens took the bump as North Alabama tacked on four runs for the win. The four runs were a game season-high for Saint Louis; the Billikens played a weekend Ohio State series and SEMO midweek game.
North Alabama used seven hits to score the seven runs with a .241 pace. However, another standout game hitting when two outs were on the board as five of their seven hits came during those moments.
To most, this was the prettiest day at the ballpark so far during the young season.
Blue sky, sun shining down, minimal clouds, a light breeze with weather apps displaying 67 degrees at the time of first pitch.
As the fans and pups alike found their seats, Patterson took the mound for the second consecutive Friday as the starter for the Lions.
Two of the first three visiting batters earned a base position with one sending a fly out to Tait Nunnally in centerfield.
Patterson came together from the stretch and worked through his pick move to second. Caught leaning was lead-off man Hank Gomric who sprinted to third. The lefty pitcher sent it to Dylan Coleman at third who tagged the runner for the second out. UNA cleaned up the pop out from the final batter.
In the bottom of the second, Coleman was hit by a pitch in an 0-2 count during the first at-bat — a fielder’s choice would eliminate him at second two at-bats later. Nash Rippen singled through the right side to move Will Millard from first to third.
Runners on the corners, right fielder Cayden Sheffield stepped to the plate.
Sheffield took the first pitch he saw to right center with the center fielder tracking it down. The Billiken nearly made the play but Sheffield’s hit narrowly escaped the glove to wipe the bases clean for a 2-0 lead.
However, Saint Louis decided to answer right away in the third inning. The ninth hole hit a double to right center that bounced off the Josh Willingham Hitting Facility. The next at-bat, Gomric homered for the 2-2 tie.
Then it grew quiet until the top of the fifth as Patterson entered the inning with four strikeouts under his belt.
Patterson worked quickly with a pop up and another swinging strikeout before Gomric earned the walk. The next two Billikens earned a double and single, respectively, to score two more. Patterson closed the inning with his sixth strikeout against Max McGwire — the son of famed big leaguer, Mark McGwire.
The bottom of the inning saw another right fielder excavator receive a prize as Justin Santoyo homered in the lead-off at-bat in the 0-2 count to cut the lead, 4-3.
That is where the score stalled for a few innings.
Patterson earned his seventh strikeout of the afternoon before left-handed pitcher Gavin Oswald stepped in — the same as opening day. He closed the inning with a pop up and a swinging strikeout. Oswald went three up, three down in the top of the seventh — adding another strikeout.
The top of the eighth got tense as suspense grew for the home crowd.
Billikens open with two hits in the first two at-bats to have a runner in scoring position. Then SLU opted for a pinch hitter for McGwire as Drew Kleinheider gripped the bat in the right side box.
Immediately, he squares around to bunt — one strike called, another called ball.
The third pitch comes streaking and Kleinheider laid it down towards the first base side.
The captain, Petey Craska, pounced on the ball with a Billiken trying to reach third. In all one motion it seemed, the first baseman grabbed the loose ball, spun and lasered one to Coleman at third.
Lead runner — eliminated. Crowd to their feet. “The Mike” roaring.
Craska earned the next pop out before Oswald caught another batter swinging to end the eighth inning threat.
The breakthrough was budging and in the eighth inning, the levee broke.
Coleman opened with a line drive that the short stop had to nearly jump out of his shoes for that tipped off the glove for a lead-off hit — Tyler LePage walked to get two on.
Millard put one in right center that moved Coleman to third but went down as the first out of the inning — the Billikens then opted for the pitching change with Rippen stepping into the box.
A lefty-on-lefty matchup, Rippen was hit with the first pitch. The Billiken was immediately pulled as the Lions had the bases loaded.
The next Lion struck out before the ninth hole walked from the on-deck circle, but not before head coach Jad Prachniak made a lineup change with the umpire.
In steps the sophomore slugger, Wes Walker.
He saw a ball, hit one foul and watched two more whizz by to enter into hitter’s count. Walker then tattood one to left center that scored two Lions and left another on second — Lions ahead 5-3.
Santoyo saw four straight balls to walk and juice the bases again. With two outs, Nunnally takes the left side batters box. The junior transfer belted one down the left field line. The crowd held their breath, the left fielder in pursuit of the fly ball.
As the ball made its way to the turf, the Billiken leapt with his arm out-stretched.
The crowd blasts with excitement as the ball escapes the glove and falls to the turf before bouncing off “Mike’s Mountain” in left field — one run scored, and a second scored. Then Santoyo rounded third in hopes of clearing the bases.
The cut-off man slings it home which catches a sliding Santoyo at the last second to end the inning, 7-4.
In the top of the ninth, Oswald stepped back out on the rubber with the 7-8-9 batters due up. The first batter walked.
Oswald buried the next batter looking for the first out. The graduate worked the next count 3-2 before the Billiken rattled off three straight foul balls to stay alive.
The big lefty screamed one a touch inside, the batter threw the bat to the dugout and walked to first — the umpire rings him up, another Billiken looking.
Down three runs, one runner on the base path — in steps the 6’5 Gomric who boomed the home run earlier in the game. He fouls the first, then Oswald sends in three straight balls. The next was down the pipe, looking.
Fans stood to their feet, energy buzzing in anticipation. Oswald went up top, the big Gomric swung for the fence — Millard clamped the pitch — strike three, game over.
Mike D. Lane Field erupted in celebration from Oswald, the Lions and the fans alike for the gritty 7-4 win.
Pitchers of Record
W – Gavin Oswald (2-0)
L – Drew Welk (0-1)
S – N/A
COMING UP NEXT
North Alabama will see game two of the series against Saint Louis on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.