FLORENCE, Ala. – North Alabama swept both games of a doubleheader Friday in the first series of the 2026 season for both teams. The Cougars fell 3-1 in the opener before dropping an 8-1 contest later.

North Alabama got on the board in the first inning of game one after loading the bases on a hit batter and two walks by SIUE starter Jase Phillips. Tyler LePage sent a one-out fly to right scoring Tait Nunnally from third.

The Cougars tied the game in the third inning. Gage Franck singled to open the inning. An infield hit from Sean Kang gave SIUE runners at first and third. Franck scored on throwing error when Daniel Gierer laid down a squeeze bunt for the RBI.

The Lions added a run in the when Dylan Coleman hit an RBI-triple off the right field wall, 2-1. Coleman scored on groundout in the sixth inning to make it 3-1.

Kang finished 2-3.

Phillips (0-1) worked four innings in his SIUE debut. He gave up two runs on a single hit. He walked two and did not strike out a batter. Porter Conn worked a scoreless inning, allowing a hit. Noah Johnson allowed a run over three innings in relief. He struck out one.

Game two was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when UNA first baseman Petey Craska connected on a three-run home run to right off SIUE starter Spencer Stearns (0-1).

Stearns worked five innings allowing the three runs on seven hits. He struck out four.

Helped by two walks and two hit batters, the Lions scored five times in the bottom of the seventh inning against Cougar relievers Trent Koehler and Brady Coon. Koehler allowed four runs in an inning of work. He struck out two. Brady Coon gave up a run and struck out two in two innings.

SIUE's lone run came in the ninth inning. Cooper Eggert walked and went to second on a wild pitch before Chase Bloomer singled to center to drive him in.

Bloomer finished 2-4.

The Cougars and Lions will finish the series Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. first pitch.