Lions win opening series

The North Alabama baseball team had to settle for a series win instead of a sweep to begin its season.

Ryan Niedzwiedz hit a go-ahead two-out single in the fifth inning and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville defeated the Lions 2-1 on Saturday in Florence.

UNA (2-1) swept Friday’s doubleheader 3-1, 8-1.

Niedzwiedz took the second pitch he saw from Jordan Touhey (0-1) to center field to score Daniel Grier from second.

The Lions managed just two base runners the rest of the way — a Tyler LePage single in the sixth and a Dylan Coleman walk in the eighth. Neither reached scoring position.

Four pitchers combined for a five-hitter and strike out 12 for the Cougars (1-2).

Tim Teixeira tossed the first four innings. He allowed four hits and one run on a Petey Craska third-inning single. Joseph Martin (1-0) pitched the final three and struck out six.

UNA used six pitchers. John Allen Stogner started. The fifth-year right-hander went 3 1/3 innings and was charged with three hits and one run. Gage Franck singled in the tying run in the fourth after Stogner was pulled.

The Lions host UAB at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

On Friday, Tripp Paterson and Gavin Oswald combined for a five-hitter in the opener, while Luke Davenport tossed five shutout innings and Petey Craska hit a three-run homer in the second game to help the Lions beat Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 3-1, 8-1 on Friday.

Patterson threw the first 4 2/3 innings in Game 1. He allowed two hits and one run, on a self-inflicted third-inning error. Oswald (1-0) surrendered just three hits the rest of the way.

Dylan Coleman broke a 1-1 tie with a triple in the bottom of the third. Will Millard’s fielder’s choice in the sixth tacked on a sixth.

Davenport, meanwhile, allowed one hit and one walk while striking out eight in the second game before UNA went to Justin Battle and then Landon Scruggs in the bullpen.

But the sophomore right-hander gave way with the lead after Craska’s three-run shot to right field in the bottom of the fifth.

The Lions tacked on five more runs in the seventh thanks to a Nash Rippen bases-loaded walk, a Cayden Sheffield single and a Jackson Westmoreland two-run hit to right. The Cougars scored on a one-out single by Chase Bloomer in the ninth.

Softball

Briley Dover, Emma Kate Wright and Natalie Shaw all homered and North Alabama salvaged a split on its first day at Samford’s tournament.

Dover, a Loretto native, hit a two-run shot in the bottom of the fourth inning, while Wright and Shaw both went deep in the fifth in the Lions’ 9-5 win over Belmont on Friday. UNA (5-2) dropped its opener 13-8 to Lindenwood.

Dover’s homer put the Lions ahead for good in the second game.

Laura Leigh Wheeler and Holly Merritt both reached base three times against Belmont, which got a two-run homer from Nico Hughes in the fourth and solo shot from Lauren Luciani in the seventh.

Katie Simon (3-0) allowed six hits and four runs (three earned) in 5 1/3 innings for UNA. Alivia Wilken allowed the Bears’ other run over her 1 2/3 innings of relief.

It was perhaps a needed rebound for Wilken (1-1), who struggled against Lindenwood. She was tagged for eight hits and seven runs (six earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

Kaylee Snyder, however, didn’t fare much better. The sophomore was knocked around for six runs on three hits while recording just two outs. That included allowing a grand slam to Tori Hatton in the bottom of the fifth.

The Lindenwood first baseman finished with five RBIs. Madisen Noll chipped in three more, while Teryn Brown scored three times.

Merritt hit a grand slam for the Lions in the third.

UNA finishes at Samford’s tournament Saturday with a 3 p.m. matchup against Belmont and a 5:30 p.m. meeting against the host Bulldogs.

Men’s tennis

North Alabama remains on its quest for a win over a Power Four opponent.

Richard Biagiotti and Jonathan Irwanto won both their matches to lead Georgia Tech to a 4-1 win Friday in Atlanta.

The Lions (2-5) are now 0-23 against teams from the SEC, Big Ten and ACC since moving to Division I ahead of the 2019 season. That includes last year’s 4-0 loss to Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Biagiotti and Irwanto defeated UNA’s Alberto AlturandSatoruNakajima 6-4 in No. 2 doubles. Irwanto then beat Samu Dominguez 7-5, 6-2 in the fourth singles flight, while Biagiotti topped Nakajima 6-4, 6-0 in No. 6 singles.

The Lions, however, did pick up a rare point.

Altur bested Hidde Schoenmakers in the second singles flight. Albur won the first set 7-5 before Schoenmakers retired down 3-0 in the second game.

It marked the fourth point UNA scored on a P4 opponent with the previous three coming against Auburn. The Lions lost 6-1 to the Tigers in 2025, 2022 and 2020.

UNA plays at Kennesaw State at noon Saturday.

Women’s tennis

Eeva Ristola and Sammie Schouten won both their matches and the North Alabama women’s tennis team beat Belmont 4-1 on Saturday in Nashville.

It was the fourth straight win for the Lions (5-2).

Ristola partnered with Farah Asaad to top Jessica Popiol and Savannah Webster 6-1 in No. 1 doubles. Ristola then defeated Webster 6-0, 6-2 in the top singles flight.

Schouten teamed with Louise Booker to best Libbie Hamilton and Emma Grant 6-1 in No. 3 doubles. Schouten also beat Hamilton 6-1, 6-3 in the fifth singles match.