2026 North Alabama Lions baseball team

2026 North Alabama Lions baseball
ConferenceAtlantic Sun Conference
Record8–12 (1–2 ASUN)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Nick Patton (4th season)
  • Jacob James (1st season)
Home stadiumMike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
2026 ASUN Conference baseball standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Gold
Austin Peay  ‍‍‍ 2 – 1   .667 11 – 10   .524
Lipscomb  ‍‍‍ 2 – 1   .667 8 – 10   .444
Eastern Kentucky  ‍‍‍ 2 – 1   .667 7 – 14   .333
Central Arkansas  ‍‍‍ 1 – 2   .333 11 – 10   .524
North Alabama  ‍‍‍ 1 – 2   .333 8 – 13   .381
Bellarmine  ‍‍‍ 1 – 2   .333 6 – 13   .316
Graphite
Florida Gulf Coast  ‍‍‍ 3 – 0   1.000 17 – 4   .810
North Florida  ‍‍‍ 2 – 1   .667 10 – 12   .455
West Georgia*  ‍‍‍ 2 – 1   .667 5 – 16   .238
Jacksonville  ‍‍‍ 1 – 2   .333 10 – 11   .476
Stetson  ‍‍‍ 1 – 2   .333 9 – 13   .409
Queens  ‍‍‍ 0 – 3   .000 4 – 16   .200
* Ineligible for the 2026 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA tournament
As of March 20, 2026[1]
Rankings from D1Baseball

The 2026 North Alabama Lions baseball team represent the University of North Alabama during the 2026 NCAA Division I baseball season. They are led by head coach Jad Prachniak, in his 4th season at UNA. The Lions played their home games at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium as a members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

This is the Lions' first full season playing at Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium. The Lions played 21 games at the stadium in 2025 as the stadium was still under construction.[2][3]

Previous season

The 2023 team finished the season with a 24–31 record and a 16–13 record in ASUN play. They finished 3rd in the Gold Division and advanced to the ASUN Tournament.[4][5]

The ASUN Tournament marked the UNA baseball program's first postseason appearance at the Division I level. The tournament saw them lose to Jacksonville 1-5[6] before beating North Florida 14-11.[7] North Alabama was eliminated from the tournament after a second loss to Jacksonville.[8]

Preseason

Coaches poll

The ASUN baseball coaches' poll was released on February 8, 2024.[9]

ASUN Gold Division Preseason Coaches' Poll
Predicted
finish 		Team Points
1 Austin Peay 34 (4)
2 Lipscomb 28
3 North Alabama 23 (1)
4 Central Arkansas 18 (1)
5 Eastern Kentucky 15
6 Bellarmine 8

Personnel

2026 North Alabama Lions roster
 

Pitchers

  • 8 – Tripp Patterson – Sophomore
  • 11 – Jordan Touhey – Freshman
  • 15 – Landon Scruggs – Senior
  • 16 – Reese Young – Sophomore
  • 18 – Hunter Bell – Senior
  • 19 – Kelly Crumpton – Senior
  • 21 – Justus Agosto – Senior
  • 22 – Kevin Henrich – Junior
  • 27 – Luke Davenport – Sophomore
  • 28 – Nico Varlotta – Freshman
  • 29 – Justin Battle – Senior
  • 30 – John Allen Stogner – Graduate
  • 31 – Tyler Rice – Graduate
  • 32 – Carlos Carmona – Senior
  • 33 – Josh Bowerman – Junior
  • 43 – Sawyer Toney – Senior
  • 48 – Gavin Oswald – Graduate
  • 51 – Jake Boynar – Junior
  

Catchers

  • 2 – Will Millard – Junior
  • 10 – Charlie Cochran – Junior
  • 26 – John Austin Wood – Freshman
  • 44 – Wes Walker – Sophomore

Infielders

  • 3 – Leighton Jenkins – Graduate
  • 4 – Bryant Loving – Junior
  • 5 – Dylan Coleman – Senior
  • 9 – Ryker Billingsley – Senior
  • 12 – Jackson Westmoreland – Junior
  • 14 – Gio Lonero – Freshman
  • 17 – Justin Santoyo – Graduate
  • 37 – Ryan West – Senior
  • 39 – Tyler LePage – Junior
  • 40 – Petey Craska – Sophomore
  • 45 – Ethan Moore – Junior
  

Outfielders

  • 7 – Cayden Sheffield – Freshman
  • 13 – Chandler Ketchup – Junior
  • 20 – Jackson Cheek – Junior
  • 22 – Tait Nunnally – Junior
  • 25 – Alex Wade – Junior
  • 34 – Nash Rippen – Senior
  

Coaching staff

Name Position Seasons at
North Alabama		 Alma mater
Jad Prachniak Head Coach 4 University of Rhode Island (2005)
Nick Patten Assistant Baseball Coach / Hitting Coach / Recruiting Coordinator 4 University of Delaware (2021)
J.D. Davis Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator 1 The Citadel (2020)
Jacob James Director of Pitching Development 1 University of North Alabama (2025)

Source:[10]

Schedule and results

Legend
  North Alabama win
  North Alabama loss
  Postponement/Cancellation/Suspensions
Bold North Alabama team member
2026 North Alabama Lions baseball game log (8–12)
Regular season (8–12)
March (2–7)
Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record ASUN record
March 1 Southern Indiana Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
Florence, AL		 W 7–3 Stogner (1–0) Skwarek (1–1) None 893 7–5 —
March 4 #17 Ole Miss Swayze Field
Oxford, MS		 L 5–8 Robertson (2–0) Agosto (0–1) Koenig (2) SECN+ 8,471 7–6 —
March 6 #10 Southern Miss Pete Taylor Park
Hattiesburg, MS		 L 4–9 Allen (1–1) Patterson (0–2) Sivley (1) ESPN+ 5,364 7–7 —
March 7 #10 Southern Miss Pete Taylor Park
Hattiesburg, MS		 L 1–6 Harris (3–0) Davenport (2–2) Och (2) ESPN+ 5,263 7–8 —
March 8 #10 Southern Miss Pete Taylor Park
Hattiesburg, MS		 L 2–9 English (1–0) Stogner (1–1) None ESPN+ 5,152 7–9 —
March 10 Jacksonville State Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
Florence, AL		 L 3–8 Thomas (1–0) Boynar (0–1) None 524 7–10 —
March 13 Lipscomb Dugan Field
Nashville, TN		 L 3–6 Bosley-Smith (1–1) Patterson (0–3) Kantola (2) ESPN+ 277 7–11 0–1
March 14 Lipscomb Dugan Field
Nashville, TN		 L 5–7 Jamison (1–0) Davenport (2–3) None ESPN+ 427 7–12 0–2
March 15 Lipscomb Dugan Field
Nashville, TN		 W 13–7 Young (1–0) Jackson (1–2) None ESPN+ 337 8–12 1–2
March 17 Tennessee Tech Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
Florence, AL		 – ESPN+
March 20 Eastern Kentucky Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
Florence, AL		 – ESPN+
March 21 Eastern Kentucky Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
Florence, AL		 – ESPN+
March 22 Eastern Kentucky Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium
Florence, AL		 – ESPN+
March 27 Bellarmine Knights Field
Louisville, KY		 –
March 28 Bellarmine Knights Field
Louisville, KY		 –
March 29 Bellarmine Knights Field
Louisville, KY		 –
March 31 UAB Young Memorial Field
Birmingham, AL		 –

Source:[11]

References

  1. ^ "2026 Baseball Standings". asunsports.org. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  2. ^ "Prachniak announces 2026 baseball schedule". North Alabama Athletics. January 12, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  3. ^ Glovach, David (April 16, 2025). "Move in day: After transient spring, UNA baseball gets its new-stadium experience". TimesDaily. Florence. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  4. ^ "2025 Baseball Schedule". UNA Athletics. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  5. ^ "2025 Baseball Standings". Atlantic Sun Conference. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  6. ^ "Lions fall 5-1 in opening game of ASUN tournament". North Alabama Athletics. May 20, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  7. ^ "Baseball earns program's first Division I postseason win, 14-11". North Alabama Athletics. May 21, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  8. ^ "Baseball falls in elimination game against Jacksonville, 3-2". North Alabama Athletics. May 23, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  9. ^ "ASUN reveals preseason baseball poll". North Alabama Athletics. February 5, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  10. ^ "2026 Baseball Roster". UNA Athletics. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  11. ^ "2026 Baseball Schedule". UNA Athletics. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
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