MILLINGTON, Tenn. (Feb 3, 2017) -- Third-ranked Mules Baseball dropped its season-opener 8-4 to North Alabama on Friday afternoon at the USA Baseball Stadium.

The Mules (0-1) scored in the top of the first on Blake Wilfong's RBI single. Erik Webb led off his first collegiate game with a single, stole second and scored on the single to stake the Mules to a 1-0 lead. North Alabama (1-0) responded with two runs in the home half of the first to take a 2-1 lead. 

The lead went to 3-1 in the second on Conner Kiser's RBI single. The Lions tacked on two more in the third to make it 5-1.

The Mules got a run back in the fourth on Miles Orscheln's two-out RBI double to make it 5-2. UCM loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but couldn't push any runs across. The lead shrunk to one in the sixth when Travis Able singled home two runs to pull the Mules within 5-4.

The Lions added an unearned run in the home half, however, and led 6-4. UNA added two more runs in the eighth on T.J. Lockett's two-run single for an 8-4 advantage.

Ben Kelsch (0-1) took the loss for the Mules after giving up five runs on six hits in three innings of work.

Tyler Joyner (1-0) picked up the win for North Alabama, tossing five innings while allowing two runs on six hits.

The series continues on Saturday at 1 p.m.