2024 North Alabama Lions baseball team

Intercollegiate baseball season

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2024 North Alabama Lions baseball

Conference| Atlantic Sun Conference
Record| 17–31 (9–17 ASUN)
Head coach|

* Jad Prachniak (2nd season)

Assistant coaches|

* Chris Blakey (3rd season)
* Nick Patton (2nd season)
* David Mervis (2nd season)

Home stadium| Mike D. Lane Field

Seasons

← 2023

2025 →

2024 ASUN Conference baseball standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |   | PCT |  |  | W |   | L |   | T |   | PCT
Austin Peay ‍†‍‍ | 20 | – | 10 | – | 0 |   | .667 |  |  | 36 | – | 21 | – | 0 |   | .632
Stetson ‍†‍‡‍y | 20 | – | 10 | – | 0 |   | .667 |  |  | 40 | – | 20 | – | 0 |   | .667
Florida Gulf Coast ‍†‍‍ | 20 | – | 10 | – | 0 |   | .667 |  |  | 30 | – | 26 | – | 0 |   | .536
Kennesaw State  ‍‍‍ | 19 | – | 10 | – | 0 |   | .655 |  |  | 32 | – | 24 | – | 0 |   | .571
Jacksonville  ‍‍‍ | 18 | – | 12 | – | 0 |   | .600 |  |  | 27 | – | 31 | – | 0 |   | .466
Lipscomb  ‍‍‍ | 15 | – | 15 | – | 0 |   | .500 |  |  | 22 | – | 34 | – | 0 |   | .393
Eastern Kentucky  ‍‍‍ | 14 | – | 16 | – | 0 |   | .467 |  |  | 20 | – | 37 | – | 0 |   | .351
Central Arkansas  ‍‍‍ | 12 | – | 18 | – | 0 |   | .400 |  |  | 26 | – | 30 | – | 0 |   | .464
North Florida  ‍‍‍ | 11 | – | 17 | – | 1 |   | .397 |  |  | 21 | – | 30 | – | 1 |   | .413
North Alabama  ‍‍‍ | 10 | – | 19 | – | 1 |   | .350 |  |  | 18 | – | 35 | – | 1 |   | .343
Queens*  ‍‍‍ | 10 | – | 20 | – | 0 |   | .333 |  |  | 14 | – | 41 | – | 0 |   | .255
Bellarmine*  ‍‍‍ | 9 | – | 21 | – | 0 |   | .300 |  |  | 10 | – | 45 | – | 0 |   | .182
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA tournament

* Ineligible for the 2024 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
As of May 26, 2024[1]
Rankings from D1Baseball

The 2024 North Alabama Lions baseball team represented the University of North Alabama during the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball season. They were led by head coach Jad Prachniak, in his 2nd season at UNA. The Lions played their home games at Mike D. Lane Field as a members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

This was the Lions' last season at Mike D. Lane Field as it was demolished to make room for their new stadium, Bank Independent Stadium.[2]

## Previous season

[edit]

The 2023 team finished the season with a 14–37 record and a 8–22 record in ASUN play. They finished 13th in conference standings after a tiebreaker put UNA ahead of Bellarmine.[3] [4]

## Preseason

[edit]

### Preseason ASUN honors

[edit]

First baseman Kyle Machado was selected to the Preseason All-ASUN Team. He was the only North Alabama player selected to the fourteen person team.[5]

Preseason All-ASUN Team

Player  | No.  | Position  | Class
Kyle Machado | 5 | 1B |

Graduate Student

### Coaches poll

[edit]

The ASUN baseball coaches' poll was released on February 8, 2024.[5]

ASUN Preseason Coaches' Poll  Predicted
finish  | Team  | Points

|
|

1 | Lipscomb | 137 (7)
2 | FGCU | 123 (2)
3 | Jacksonville | 115 (1)
4 | Stetson | 103
5 | Kennesaw State | 99 (1)
6 | Austin Peay | 84 (1)
7 | EKU | 77
8 | Central Arkansas | 65
9 | North Florida | 56
10 | Queens | 30
11 | North Alabama | 25
12 | Bellarmine | 22

## Personnel

[edit]

2024 North Alabama Lions roster

Pitchers

* 7 – Carson Howard – Junior
* 10 – Jacob James – Senior
* 11 – Quinn Petty – Junior
* 15 – Jacob Bradshaw – Senior
* 18 – Avery Brown – Sophomore
* 19 – Dane Sykes – Senior
* 21 – Justus Agosto –  Sophomore
* 22 – Brycen Parrish –  Junior
* 23 – Evan Kingma – Senior
* 24 – Kevin Henrich – Sophomore
* 25 – Bryce Richter – Graduate
* 27 – Anthony Pingeton – Junior
* 29 – Justin Battle – Sophomore
* 31 – Raleigh Claunch –  Sophomore
* 33 – Josh Bowerman - Sophomore
* 45 – Josh Allen Stogner – Junior
* 48 – David Burton – Junior
* 51 – Caleb Menina – Sophomore

|   |

Catchers

* 12 – Levi Jensen – Senior
* 14 – Andrew Knight – Graduate
* 28 – Andin Johnson –  Junior
* 40 – Charlie Cochran – Sophomore

Infielders

* 2 – Leighton Jenkins – Junior
* 4 – Gehrig Frei –  Sophomore
* 5 – Kyle Machado – Graduate
* 9 – Jackson Ferrigno –  Sophomore
* 17 – Cal Cook – Senior
* 30 – Zak Majer – Senior
* 34 – Bryant Loving – Freshman
* 36 – Braden Ebeling – Freshman
* 37 – Ryan West – Junior
* 44 – Brady Moore –  Junior

|   |

Outfielders

* 3 – Brant Brown –  Junior
* 8 – Jonathan Lane – Junior
* 13 – Dominick McIntyre – Senior
* 16 – Ethan Walker – Sophomore
* 20 – Jackson Cheek – Sophomore
* 35 – Alex Wilson – Junior

### Coaching Staff

[edit]

Name | Position | Seasons at
North Alabama | Alma Mater

|
|
|

Jad Prachniak | Head Coach | 2 | University of Rhode Island (2005)
Chris Blakey | Associate Head Coach | 3 | University of North Alabama (2018)
Nick Patten | Assistant Baseball Coach / Hitting Coach | 2 | University of Delaware (2021)
David Mervis | Assistant Baseball Coach / Pitching Coach | 2 | University of Delaware (2021)

Source:[6]

## Schedule and results

[edit]

Legend

| North Alabama win
| North Alabama loss
| Postponement/Cancellation/Suspensions
Bold | North Alabama team member
2024 North Alabama Lions baseball game log

Regular season
| February

Date  | Opponent  | Rank  | Site/stadium  | Score  | Win  | Loss  | Save  | TV  | Attendance  | Overall record  | ASUN record
February 16 | at South Alabama |  | Eddie Stanky Field
Mobile, AL | L 2–3 | Gant Starling | Brycen Parrish | N/A | ESPN+ | 1,214 | 0–1 | 0–0
February 17 | Southern Indiana |  | Eddie Stanky Field | W 13–7 | Carson Howard | Gavin Wilson | N/A | ESPN+ | 654 | 1–1 | 0–0
February 18 | Lamar |  | Eddie Stanky Field | L 1–9 | Hunter Hesseltine | Kevin Henrich | N/A | ESPN+ | 856 | 1–2 | 0–0
February 20 | Belmont |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 2-6 | Joe Ruzicka | Caleb Menina | N/A | ESPN+ | 152 | 1-3 | 0-0
February 23 | Morehead State |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 2–5 | Luke Helton | Jacob Bradshaw | N/A | ESPN+ | 203 | 1-4 | 0-0
February 24 | Morehead State |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 9–6 | Jacob James | Grant Herron | Dane Sykes | ESPN+ | 215 | 2-4 | 0-0
February 25 | Morehead State |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 9–13 | Will Grimmett | Justus Agosto | N/A | ESPN+ | 265 | 2-5 | 0-0
February 27 | at Murray State |  | Roy Stewart Stadium | L 1-8 | Ethan Lyke | Dane Sykes | N/A | ESPN+ | 137 | 2-6 | 0-0
| March

Date  | Opponent  | Rank  | Site/stadium  | Score  | Win  | Loss  | Save  | TV  | Attendance  | Overall record  | ASUN record
March 2 | UAB |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 9–8 | Anthony Pingeton | Braxton Brooks | N/A | ESPN+ | 272 | 3–6 | 0–0
March 2 | UAB |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 8–10 | Brooks House | Justin Battle | Christian Clack | ESPN+ | 317 | 3–7 | 0–0
March 3 | UAB |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 3–8 | Colin Daniels | Kevin Henrich | N/A | ESPN+ | 252 | 3–8 | 0–0
March 7 | Murray State |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 6–11 | Ethan Lyke | John Allen Stogner | N/A | ESPN+ | 207 | 3–9 | 0–0
March 9 | UT Martin |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 10–07 | Jacob James | Tristan Walton | N/A | ESPN+ | 232 | 4–9 | 0–0
March 10 | UT Martin |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 3–17 | Jacob Bradshaw | Eric Steensma | Brycen Parrish | ESPN+ | 191 | 5–9 | 0–0
March 10 | UT Martin |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 5–2 | Anthony Pingeton | Choyce Diffey | Caleb Menina | ESPN+ | 225 | 6–9 | 0–0
March 12 | at Memphis |  | FedExPark | L 2–167 | Cade Davis | John Allen Stogner | N/A | ESPN+ | 597 | 6–10 | 0–0
March 16 | Kennesaw State |  | Toyota Field[7] | L 5–10 | Nolan Silver | Brycen Parrish | N/A |  | 422 | 6–11 | 0–1
March 16 | Kennesaw State |  | Toyota Field | L 1–117 | Blake Aita | Jacob Bradshaw | N/A |  | 489 | 6–12 | 0–2
March 17 | Kennesaw State |  | Toyota Field | W 4–2 | Dane Sykes | Smith Pinson | N/A |  | 388 | 7–12 | 1–2
March 19 | at Tennessee Tech |  | Howell Bush Stadium | W 8–4 | John Allen Stogner | Reece McDuffie | Carson Howard | ESPN+ | 175 | 8–12 | 1–2
March 22 | at Eastern Kentucky |  | Turkey Hughes Field | L 0–107 | Nathan Lawson | Jacob James | N/A | ESPN+ | 101 | 8–13 | 1–3
March 23 | at Eastern Kentucky |  | Turkey Hughes Field | L 5–6 | Joe Clancy | Brycen Parrish | Garrett Langrell | ESPN+ | 101 | 8–14 | 1–4
March 24 | at Eastern Kentucky |  | Turkey Hughes Field | L 1–5 | Rese Brown | Anthony Pingeton | Garrett Langrell | ESPN+ | 150 | 8–15 | 1–5
March 28 | Lipscomb |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 2–8 | Alex Brewer | Jacob James | N/A | ESPN+ | 385 | 8–16 | 1–6
March 29 | Lipscomb |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 5–3 | Caleb Menina | Chandler Giles | Dane Sykes | ESPN+ | 114 | 9–16 | 2–6
March 30 | Lipscomb |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 2–157 | Jake Poindexter | Anthony Pingeton | N/A | ESPN+ | 141 | 9–17 | 2–7
| April

Date  | Opponent  | Rank  | Site/stadium  | Score  | Win  | Loss  | Save  | TV  | Attendance  | Overall record  | ASUN record
April 3 | Alabama A&M |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 13–5 | John Allen Stogner | Gabe Nicholson | N/A | ESPN+ | 115 | 10–17 | 2–7
April 5 | at Jacksonville |  | John Sessions Stadium | W 9–1 | Jacob James | Pe Prescott | N/A |  | 371 | 11–17 | 3–7
April 6 | at Jacksonville |  | John Sessions Stadium | L 2–9 | Logan Jones | Dane Sykes | N/A |  | 388 | 11–18 | 3–8
April 7 | at Jacksonville |  | John Sessions Stadium | L 4–510 | Is Williams | Brycen Parrish | N/A | ESPN+ | 302 | 11–19 | 3–9
April 13 | at Bellarmine |  | Knights Field | W 15–27 | Jacob James | Sam Matherly | N/A | ESPN+ | 125 | 12–9 | 4–9
April 13 | at Bellarmine |  | Knights Field | L 11–12 | Nolan Pender | Caleb Menina | N/A | ESPN+ | 125 | 12–10 | 4–10
April 14 | at Bellarmine |  | Knights Field | W 22–37 | Anthony Pingeton | Thomas Sylvester | N/A | ESPN+ | 125 | 13–10 | 5–10
April 16 | at Belmont |  | E. S. Rose Park | L 9–15 | Caleb Guisewite | John Allen Stogner | N/A | ESPN+ | 123 | 13–11 | 5–10
April 19 | Stetson |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 4–8 | Anthony DeFabbia | Jacob James | Zane Coppersmith |  | 368 | 13–12 | 5–11
April 20 | Stetson |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 5–4 | Jacob Bradshaw | Aric McAtee | Dane Sykes |  | 274 | 14–12 | 6–11
April 21 | Stetson |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 1–4 | Daniel Paret | Anthony Pingeton | Cole Stallings |  | 372 | 14–13 | 6–12
April 23 | at Ole Miss |  | Swayze Field | L 4–9 | Grayson Saunier | John Allen Stogner | N/A | SECN+ | 12,996 | 14–14 | 6–12
April 26 | Central Arkansas |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 4–9 | Jess Barker | Jacob James | H. Alexander | ESPN+ | 364 | 14–15 | 6–13
April 27 | Central Arkansas |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 4–148 | P. Christensen | Jacob Bradshaw | N/A | ESPN+ | 385 | 14–16 | 6–14
April 28 | Central Arkansas |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 3–6 | Cole Macrae | Anthony Pingeton | H. Alexander | ESPN+ | 393 | 14–17 | 6–15
April 30 | at Middle Tennessee |  | Reese Smith Jr. Field | L 2–9 | Dylan Alonso | John Allen Stogner | Justin Lee | ESPN+ | 796 | 14–18 | 6–15
| May

Date  | Opponent  | Rank  | Site/stadium  | Score  | Win  | Loss  | Save  | TV  | Attendance  | Overall record  | ASUN record
May 1 | Samford |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 10–19 | Cole Fryman | Justin Battle | N/A | ESPN+ | 224 | 14–19 | 6–15
May 3 | at Queens |  | Stick Williams Dream Baseball Field | W 11-7 | Jacob James | Landry Jurecka | Brycen Parrish | ESPN+ | 75 | 15–29 | 7–15
May 3 | at Queens |  | Stick Williams Dream Baseball Field | W 8–2 | Dane Sykes | Carson Magill | N/A | ESPN+ | 80 | 16–29 | 8–15
May 5 | at Queens |  | Stick Williams Dream Baseball Field | L 8–13 | Johnny Joseph | Anthony Pingeton | Isaiah Bennett | ESPN+ | 72 | 16–30 | 8–16
May 7 | at Samford |  | Joe Lee Griffin Stadium | L 3–12 | Miller Riggins | John Allen Stogner | N/A |  | 133 | 16–31 | 8–16
May 10 | North Florida |  | Mike D. Lane Field | L 4–3 | Jordan Wimpelberg | Jacob James | Zane Starling |  | 317 | 16–32 | 8–17
May 11 | North Florida |  | Mike D. Lane Field | W 4–2 | Jacob Bradshaw | Tony Roca | Dane Sykes |  | 741 | 17–32 | 9–17
May 12 | North Florida |  | Mike D. Lane Field | Tie 4–413* | N/A | N/A | N/A |  | 367 | 17–32–1 | 9–17–1
May 14 | at Mississippi State |  | Dudy Noble Field | L 4–8 | Cam Schuelke | Carson Howard | N/A | SECN+ | 9,349 | 17–33–1 | 9–17–1
May 16 | at Austin Peay |  | Raymond C. Hand Park | L 13–27 | Jacob Weaver | Jacob James | N/A | ESPN+ | 783 | 17–34–1 | 9–18–1
May 17 | at Austin Peay |  | Raymond C. Hand Park | L 3–8 | Josh Howitt | Jacob Bradshaw | N/A | ESPN+ | 583 | 17–35–1 | 9–19–1
May 18 | at Austin Peay |  | Raymond C. Hand Park | W 14–13 | Brycen Parrish | Deaton Oak | Jacob James | ESPN+ | 606 | 18–35–1 | 10–19–1

Source:[8]

* The May 12 game against North Florida ended in a tie at the end of the 13th inning as the game reached the travel curfew for the away team[9][10]

## Records broken

[edit]

Jacob James broke the school's all-time strikeout record in the third to last game of the season against Austin Peay. In the second-inning, James threw career strikeout No. 281 which put him in sole possession of the record. The previous record holder was Chad Boughner, who had 280 career strikeouts at North Alabama.[11] James would finish the season with 284 career strikeouts.

## Postseason honors

[edit]

Two North Alabama Lions were selected for postseason ASUN honors.[12]

Third Team All-ASUN

Player  | No.  | Position  | Class
Gehrig Frei | 4 | 3B |

Sophomore

Jacob James | 10 | P |

Senior

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2024 Baseball Standings". asunsports.org. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
2. ^ Glovach, David (May 13, 2024). "For UNA, final days of baseball stadium 'bittersweet' but necessary". TimesDaily. Florence. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
3. ^ "2023 Baseball Schedule". UNA Athletics. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
4. ^ "2023 Baseball Standings". Atlantic Sun Conference. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
5. ^ a b "Lipscomb Tops ASUN Baseball Preseason Poll". Atlantic Sun Conference. asunsports.org. February 8, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
6. ^ "2024 Baseball Roster". UNA Athletics. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
7. ^ Mitchell, Taylor (March 13, 2024). "UNA moving Atlantic Sun Conference opener to Toyota Field this weekend". WHNT. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
8. ^ "2024 Baseball Schedule". UNA Athletics. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
9. ^ Cohan, Max (May 12, 2024). "UNA Baseball ends senior day in historic draw with North Florida, 4-4". waaytv.com. WAAY 31. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
10. ^ @UNABaseball (May 12, 2024). "Due to a travel curfew for North Florida, today's game has ended in a tie. We are back in action on Tuesday at Mississippi State" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
11. ^ Glovach, David (May 21, 2024). "For James, UNA strikeout record 'definitely earned'". TimesDaily. Florence. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
12. ^ "2024 Baseball Postseason Honors Announced". Atlantic Sun Conference. asunsports.org. May 20, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[PCT]: Winning percentage