The Lions dropped three conference games in a home series against the University of West Florida.

UNA lost the opening game 3-2 on Saturday, Feb. 15 and both games of a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 16 2-0 and 4-0, respectively.

The weather hampered the team’s on-field practice time during the past week, but weather is no excuse for production, said head coach Mike Keehn.

“The weather affected us because we weren’t able to get on the field during the week and get some work done on some things we wanted to,” Keehn said. “But we’ve got to be able to deal with that and still find a way to win games.

“I don’t think the weather really affected our pitching. Our pitching kept us in the games this weekend.”

The Lions tied the opening game at two after allowing a two-run opening frame to the Argonauts. UNA pitcher Cade Medley settled in and shut the West Florida bats down. Medley pitched himself out of a jam in the top of the sixth inning by striking out two Argonauts in a row. UNA catcher Payton Thomas ended the inning by gunning down a West Florida base runner attempting to steal second base.

The bats went cold as the Lions were shutout during the Feb. 16 double header, bringing the season record to 3-6.

“Their pitchers (West Florida) are some of the best in the conference,” Keehn said. “That is some of the best pitching we are going to go up against this season and we’ve got to be able to find a way to do more than we did.

“We weren’t hitting it the other way, we weren’t finding the gaps and the middle of our lineup is going to need to step up.”

The Lions host a weekend series Feb. 22 and 23 against Gulf South Conference foe Delta State University. The Statesmen are currently fifth in the conference with a 2-1 conference record. “Collegiate Baseball Newspaper” currently ranks Delta State No. 16 nationally in Division II.

UNA plays a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. and one game on Sunday at 1 p.m.