Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ROME--The Hawks were three outs away from earning the split, but couldn't hang on as North Alabama rallied to score six times in the top of the seventh inning of game two to complete the sweep. The Lions took game one, 6-2, before taking game two, 6-3.

The losses drop Shorter to 12-30 overall and 7-19 in the Gulf South Conference. North Alabama improves to 24-25 on the season.

In the opener, the Lions score three times in the first inning – all on errors. In the third, North Alabama added a run and then in the fourth scored twice to take a 6-0 lead. The Hawks avoided the shutout with RBI single from Jacob Forrest and Chad Ikerd in the seventh and ninth innings, respectively.

Brantley Claunch recorded the win for the Lions, allowing two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over 8.1 innings of work. Russell Crosby took the loss after pitching five innings, while allowing six runs – three earned – on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Shorter took a 1-0 lead in the third inning of game two on and RBI single from Dustin Evans and added an insurance run in the sixth as Zach Santos scored on an error.

The Lions rallied in their final at bat to earn the win, scoring six times in the seventh. Ikerd scored in the bottom of the inning for the Hawks for the 6-3 final score.

Riley Sanderson earned the win for North Alabama allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts over six innings of work. Colton Cross recorded the loss, allowing six runs – two earned – on ten hits with three strikeouts through 6.2 innings.

Dylan Riner finished the day with four hits, Ikerd added three, and both Zach Santos and Bryan Mathews recorded two.

The Hawks will conclude the series with the Lions Sunday afternoon beginning at 2:00pm at the Robert H. Ledbetter Baseball Complex.