FLORENCE, Ala. – Down to the team's final strike, a three-run home run by
David Coppedge in the top of the ninth led the Lipscomb University baseball team to a 7-6 win over the University of North Alabama to secure the series win, Saturday evening from Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
Final Score: Lipscomb 7, North Alabama 6
Location: Florence, Alabama (Mike D. Lane Field at Bank Independent Stadium)
Records: Lipscomb (22-23, 15-8), North Alabama (16-28, 10-13)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bisons got on the board with single runs in the first and second innings.
David Coppedge's RBI groundout after the inning was extended on a UNA error dented the scoreboard first.
In the second, a one-out home run by
Jake Berg, his third of the season, made it a 2-0 score.
In the third, North Alabama got on the board with a walk and double by Leighton Jenkins. After
Rigo Ramos got Alex Wilson to strike out for the second batter retired in the inning, a RJ Sherwood home run flipped the score to UNA's favor with a 3-2 lead after three.
Lipscomb responded quickly in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded, an RBI single by Berg tied the game at three runs apiece. During
Ryan Austin's at bat, the Bisons reclaimed the lead, 4-3, thanks to a wild pitch by Anthony Pingeton that saw
Kai Holm score.
UNA tied it in the bottom half with a Bryant Loving RBI single.
In the sixth, the Lions took advantage of free passes the Bisons pitching staff was giving up. The first three batters all reached via a walk or hit by pitch. Following a pitching change, Jenkins continued the inning with a bases loaded, four-pitch walk to take the lead, 5-4.
After back-to-back strikeouts, Petey Craska coaxed the fourth free pass of the inning that extended the lead to 6-4.
The score would hold up until the top of the ninth. Despite a lead off walk by
Collin Goda, the next two batters were retired.
Jacob Tobias, who came in the game in the seventh, extended the inning with an infield hit, and that brought Coppedge to the plate.
With a 3-2 count, the redshirt senior sent a fly ball over the left field wall for a three-run home run that flipped the score to 7-6. For Coppedge, it was the 23rd home run of his career at Lipscomb and the eighth of 2025.
Brock Puckett sent UNA down in order in the bottom of the ninth for his third save of the season.
With the series win, Lipscomb has won four straight series and five of the last six.
KEY STATISTICS
David Coppedge and
Jake Berg each had two hits, with one being a home run, in the win. Coppedge added four RBI, while Berg tallied two.
Parks Bouck extended his on-base (22) and hitting streak (18) with his base hit to center field in the fifth.
After the Bisons gave up the lead in the fifth,
Collin Bosley-Smith shut down the Lions, striking out four batters in three scoreless innings. Between his time at Duke and Lipscomb, he earned his first collegiate win in his 20th career appearance.
UP NEXT
With the series locked up, Lipscomb will now seek a series sweep over North Alabama on Sunday at 1 p.m.
