The Alabama Crimson Tide came home from a road trip to Kentucky where there were swept in a three game series, just to turn around and travel to Mobile to play South Alabama on Tuesday. The Tide lost that contest by a score of 6-3 in an ugly display of baseball. Alabama committed five errors and struck out 13 times in the loss. The four game losing streak is the longest in coach Rob Vaughn’s three year tenure at The Capstone. Alabama fell to 15-7 with the loss while the Jaguars improved to 14-7.
Grad student Bobby Alcock drew the start for the Tide in the mound against Hayden O’Dell for the Jaguars. The Tide threatened in the top of the first. Bryce Fowler led off with a walk and stole second base. Brady Neal lined a one out single to put runners on the corners but a strikeout and ground out ended the frame. Alcock allowed two singles and hit a batter but worked out of the jam in the bottom half to keep the game scoreless.
Bama took an early lead in the second inning. Freshman Eric Hines drew the start in left field for the Tide and led off the inning with a single. With one out Luke Vaughn lined a double down left field line to put runners on second and third. Brennan Holt drove Hines in with a ground out for the 1-0 lead. In the bottom half Alcock struck out the first two batters before allowing a double and an infield single. Alcock induced a ground out to third to maintain to stand both and maintain the lead.
Alabama built on their lead in the top of the third when Justin LeBron led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Neal, and scored on a single by Jason Torres. With two outs Hines walked, but a ground ball to the pitcher ended the inning with two men left on base. Freshman left hander Luke Smyers took over on the mound for the Tide in the 3rd and worked out of a bases loaded jam with two strikeouts and a ground out.In the 4th and 5th innings a Fowler single was the only base runner for the Tide. Smyers allowed a single in the fourth and struck out two more batters. The lefty was back out for the 5th, but walked the first two batters before being replaced by Sam Mitchell. The first batter Mitchell faced laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Mitchell struck out the next man and walked the next to load the bases. A ground ball to shortstop looked like Bama would work out if another jam, but LeBron booted the ball, allowing a run to score. Mitchell retired the next man on a ground ball and the Jag’s left the bases loaded. Through five innings USA had left 11 men on base as the Tide was living dangerously. The Tide scored their last run of the game in the top of the 7th inning. Fowler and LeBron opened the inning with back to back singles. Neal looked to have drawn a walk on a 3-0 count, but the high pitch was called a strike. On the next offering Neal rapped into a double play, advancing Fowler to third with two outs. With Torres at the plate Fowler scored on a wild pitch to increase the Bama lead to 3-1. USA finally took the lead in the bottom of the 7th inning.
Ashton Crowther was on the mound for the Tide and allowed
back to back soft singles to open the inning. After a strikeout and fly out Crowther looked to have worked out of predicament but an error by Torres allowed a run to score. Evan Steckmesser replaced Crowther and allowed a single to score two runs, followed by another single t0 score the Jaguars fourth run of the inning. All four runs plated by USA in the inning were unearned.
Zac Stevens was on the mound for South and struck out the side in the 8th, allowing only an infield bloop single to pinch hitter Justin Osterhouse. JT Blackwood pitched the 8th for the Tide and allowed on run on two hits to make the score 6-3 headed to the 9th inning. LeBron drew a two out walk but a ground out by Neal ended the game with the Tide on the wrong end of the score.
Alabama hit 9-34 in the game with four walks, 13 strikeouts, two doubles, two stolen bases, one sac bunt, nine men left on base, and committed five errors. The five miscues were the most for an Alabama team since the 2017 team committed five in a game. Fowler was 2-4 with a walk, a run, and two stolen bases. LeBron hit 2-4 with a walk, a double, and a run scored. Hines was 1-2 with a walk and a run, Torres drove in one in his 1-4 night. Crowther fell to 1-1 with the loss without allowing an earned run. Smyers struck out a career high four batters in his two plus innings.
South Alabama finished 14-40 with four walks, one hit batter, nine strikeouts, and left 17 men on base. Sixteen of their 17 hits were singles. Stewart Puckett and Ethan Melton had three safeties each. Stevens was the winning pitcher after tossing three scoreless frames allowing one hit with one walk and five strikeouts.
After the game Vaughn said he loved the teams attitude in the game but hated their execution. The bench was alive during the game but the play on the field was not. Time to regroup as Florida comes to Tuscaloosa for a three game series this weekend. The games are scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Friday, 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, and Noon CT on Sunday.
Roll Tide 🐘⚾️
