FLORENCE, Ala.-Playing for the first time since February, three Christian Brothers University pitchers combined to hold host North Alabama to three hits as the Bucs claimed a 3-2 win Sunday afternoon in the first game of the three-game Gulf South Conference series.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The Bucs (7-7, 3-4 GSC) struck first with two runs in the top of the second inning. Cameron Coker (Germantown, Tenn./Germantown HS) led the inning off with a double, and Mac Cooley (Bartlett, Tenn./Horn Lake HS) followed with a two-run homer, his second of the season, that put the Bucs on top 2-0.
• The Lions (13-5, 5-4) cut the CBU lead in half in the fourth inning, plating a run on a walk, an error and a sacrifice fly.
• UNA tied the game at two with a run on three singles in the seventh inning.
• The Bucs answered with the winning run in the top of the eighth. Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS) led off with a single. Myles Holliman (Germantown, Tenn./Germantown HS) moved him to second with a groundout, and Stephen Joe (Madison, Miss./Ridgeland HS) singled him to third. Coker followed with a sacrifice fly to right to bring in the game's final run. 

KEY STATS:
• Smith went 3-for-4 with a run. The three-hit game was the first of his career.
• Cooley went 1-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
• Coker was 1-for-2 with a walk, a double, a run and one RBI.
• Holliman and Joe each went 1-for-4.
• Jack Parker (Shreveport, La./Evangel Christian Academy) threw six hitless innings, allowing an unearned run as he walked three and struck out four.
• Michael Lartigue (Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS) picked up the win, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over two innings out of the bullpen to even his record at 1-1.
• Jake Porter (Mount Juliet, Tenn./Mount Juliet HS) pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

NOTABLE:
• Coker's second-inning double extends his hitting streak to nine games, and he has reached base safely in all 14 games, with at least one hit in 12 games.
• Cooley has at least one hit in 12 of the Bucs' 14 games and has reached base safely in 13 of 14.
• The hitless start is Parker's second of the season. He also threw five hitless innings in the Bucs' 7-4 win over LeMoyne-Owen Jan. 31.
• Holliman has at least one hit in 11 of the Bucs' 14 games this season.
• Sunday's game was CBU's first since Feb. 28 at West Florida. In March, weather forced the cancellation of five games: last week's three-game GSC set with Delta State as well as midweek games against Edgewood and Illinois Wesleyan. In all, 10 CBU baseball games have been either canceled or postponed this season.

WHAT'S NEXT:
The Bucs and Lions meet again Monday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader to wrap up the series. CBU's next home game is next Saturday at noon as they host Valdosta State for a doubleheader.