DELAND, Fla. – Setting a new Atlantic Sun Conference record for the longest tournament game when it comes to time, the Lipscomb University Baseball team punched its ticket to the ASUN Tournament Championship Game with a 14-inning, late-night victory, 4-3, over the University of North Alabama on Friday night into Saturday morning from Melching Field at Conrad Park.
This hard-fought win advances the Bisons to their sixth ASUN Tournament Championship final appearance, having previously won titles in 2008, 2015 and 2023.
Final Score: Lipscomb 4, North Alabama 3 (14 innings)
Location: DeLand, Florida (Melching Field at Conrad Park)
Records: Lipscomb (28-24), North Alabama (30-27)
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the second inning, the Lions capitalized on a wild pitch to score the first run, followed by an RBI single from Jackson Westmoreland and a sacrifice fly by Petey Craska to take a 3–0 lead. The Bisons responded in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly by
Cole Pippenger, bringing
Kai Holm home and narrowing the deficit to 3-1 through two innings.
Lipscomb scored two runs in the seventh without the benefit of a hit to even the game at three. Thanks to five walks in the frame and an errant throw by the UNA shortstop on a double play that saw
Hutson Miles and
Aaron Stelogeannis, we were deadlocked.
In the eighth, the Lions had an opportunity to put ducks on the pond, but a shallow base hit fooled Justin Santoyo, as he was trying to go from first to third on the play, but a strike from
Jordan Thomas to
Cam Pruitt ended the threat.
Both teams were held scoreless from the eighth through the 13th innings, with pitching and defense prevailing on both sides. In the bottom of the 14th, Miles singled and advanced to second on a stolen base. Two batters later,
Cam Pruitt delivered a walk-off single to right center that was out of reach of the Lions center fielder, driving in Miles and sealing the 4–3 victory for the Bisons.
HERD NOTES
Lipscomb secured a dramatic 4–3 victory over UNA in a 14-inning contest, which became the longest game in ASUN Tournament history in terms of time, lasting an incredible five hours and 20 minutes.
The Bisons played just their second 14-inning game since 2001, the first since Feb. 23, 2002, when they defeated Florida International 8-6 in Miami.
The 14 innings in an ASUN Tournament are the second-longest in program history. The Bisons defeated Gardner-Webb in 15 innings, 10-9, to win the 2008 championship.
The Bisons drew 15 walks, surpassing their program record of 14 walks, which was previously set in 2019 during a 9-inning game against Texas Southern and against Kennesaw State in 2017.
There were a combined 34 runners left on base and there were 474 pitches thrown.
KEY STATISTICS
Cam Pruitt recorded his fifth straight multi-hit game with a 2-for-7 night with the game-winning RBI.
Hutson Miles secured his seventh game of three hits and 17th multi-hit game of the season and scored twice.
The Bisons bullpen was lights out on Friday night, having to pitch 12 of the 14 innings.
Jackson Lee posted five shutout innings of one-hit ball with three strikeouts, followed by
Adam Jamison's 3.2 scoreless innings and matching a career-best six punchouts.
UP NEXT
Needing one more win to secure the trophy, the Bisons will await the winner of Florida Gulf Coast and North Alabama, who each have one loss in the tournament.
Due to Friday's weather pushing everything back, the game will take place at 10:30 a.m. EDT / 9:30 a.m. CDT Saturday morning. Lipscomb is slated to play the winner following the conclusion of the game.
