The Alabama Crimson Tide went on the road to open SEC play and were swept by the 16th ranked Kentucky Wildcats, losing all three games. The Tide fell to 15-6 overall and 0-3 in conference. The Cats improved to 18-2 and 3-0 in SEC play.
Game One- Lost 7-4 Alabama right hander Tyler Fay faced off with Jaxon Jelkin of Kentucky in Friday nights game one. The Tide got on the board in the top of the 1st and shortstop Justin LeBron’s 9th home run of the season, a massive blast over the left centerfield fence.
The Wildcats, not known for their power, proved that wrong multiple times in the game. In the bottom of the 1st Jayce Tharnish led off with a single and scored in front of a home run by Ethan Hindle for a 2-1 Cat lead after one inning.
Jelkin disposed of the Tide in order in the 2nd and the UK offense added two in the bottom half. Hudson Brown led off the frame with a single and trotted home when Ryan Schwartz unloaded a two run bomb for a 4-1 lead. Fay survived the inning with out any more damage. Jelkin kept the Tide off the board in the 3rd and 4th allowing only a single and walk with two strikeouts across both innings.UK added a run in the 3rd on a walk and a pair of Bama errors. A dropped fly ball in left field by Justin Osterhouse let the run in. Fay allowed his third home run of the day with two outs in the bottom of the 4th. Freshman catcher Owen Jenkins smoked the first home run of his career and the lead was 6-1.
The Tide got a two single from Brennan Holt in the top of the 5th, but couldn’t bring him home. In the bottom of the 5th Kentucky plated their last run of the game on a single, a double, and a successful squeeze but executed by Tyler Cerny. Bama finally chased Jelkin out of the game in the 6th inning. LeBron singled to lead off and moved up on a single by Brady Neal. Luke Vaughn lined out to centerfield for the first out. Johnny Lemm then lined a 3-2 pitch off the foul pole in right field for a three run home run that gave the Tide some life. Jelkin was replaced by Nate Harris. Jason Torres greeted Harris with a single and Osterhouse drew a walk. Peyton Steele then rapped into a third to first double play to end the uprising.
Fay stuck with it and had perfect innings in the 6th and 7th to hold the Cats within reach. The Tide was able to have two runners reach base in the 7th, but again couldn’t get the big hit needed to close the gap. Ashton Crowther took over for Fay in the 8th and held the Cats off the board. In the top of the 9th the Tide got a two out double from Bryce Fowler, but he was stranded there to leave the score at 7-4.
The Tide hit 8-34 in the game with four walks, seven strikeouts, two home runs, a double, left seven men on base, and committed two errors. LeBron finished 2-5 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored. Fowler was 2-5 with a double, Lemm finished 1-3 with three RBI on his home run. Fay fell to 3-2 with the loss after allowing seven hits in seven innings with six earned runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts.
UK hit 9-30 in the game with two walks, one hit batter, nine strikeouts, with three home runs, a double, and left three men on base. Hindle was 2-4 with a home run and a double. Jelkin improved to 4-0 on the season and Jack Bennett earned with fourth save.
Game Two- Lost 8-7
Junior left hander Zane Adams started for Alabama against left hander Ben Cleaver for the Cats. Cleaver didn’t even make it out of the first inning.
Bryce Fowler led the game off with a walk. Justin LeBron hit into a fielders choice, forcing Fowler out of second. LeBron proceeded to manufacture a run by stealing second and third base. After originally being called out at second, LeBron was called safe after a review. After Lebron swiped third the Wildcats called for a review of the play and the call was upheld. The two bags out LeBron at 20-20 on steal attempts on the season. A sacrifice fly from Brady Neal brought the run home. Jason Torres followed with a walk and moved to third on a double by Johnny Lemm. Cleaver then hit Luke Vaughn with a pitch to load the bases and followed by plunking Will Plattner to drive in a second run. Nile Adcock replaced Cleaver and struck out Peyton Steele to strand the bases loaded.
Adams had perfect innings in the 1st and 2nd innings with two strikeouts. Bama received a jolt when LeBron injured his ankle on his at bat in the 2nd inning and had to leave the game. The Tide added to their lead in the top of the 3rd when Lemm blasted his second home run of the series off of the Cats Tommy Skelding. The Cats got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd thanks to some shoddy defense by the Tide. After a lead off walk a perfect double play ball turned into a fielders choice on a throw that pulled Vaughn off of first base. Fowler misplayed a single up the middle to allow Tagger Tyson to score. Adams stranded a runner on third after a strikeout and ground out ended the inning, leaving the score at 3-1.
Bama added to their lead in the top of the 4th. Plattner led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored when Wildcat catcher Tyson threw the ball into left field. Brennen Holt followed with a walk and advanced to third on a single by Fowler. Justin Osterhouse, in for LeBron, tried to bunt Holt home, but couldn’t get it down and eventually struck out looking. Neal grounded out to end the inning with the Tide ahead 4-1. Adams worked out of a jam in the bottom of the frame. Adams stranded a runner at third with a strikeout and groundout.
After Bama went down in order in the top of the 5th, the Cats chased Adams from the game in the bottom half. Tyson led off with a single, Owen Jenkins also singled and Jayce Tharnish doubled to bring Tyson home. Luke Lawrence singled to plate two runs and tie the game at four apiece. Evan Steckmesser replaced Adams and induced a fly ball for out one. Hudson Brown then put down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to score Lawrence and give UK a 5-4 lead. After a single and stole base by Will Marcy, Steckmesser struck out Ryan Swartz to end the uprising.
The Tide stranded the bases loaded in the 6th, Holt was hit by a pitch with one out and Osterhouse and Neal walked with two out. A fly out by Torres ended the inning. Steckmesser had a perfect 6th and Bama went down in order in the top of the 7th. Steckmesser walked the lead off man in the bottom of the 7th and then allowed a bunt single to Lawrence. Matthew Heiberger replaced Steckmesser on the mound. After a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, Brown took a 1-0 pitch over the right field wall for a three run home run. Heiberger was immediately replaced by Bobby Alcock, who retired the next two batters. The move will allow Heiberger to be used on Sunday if needed.
Bama got one out singles from Holt and Fowler in the 8th, but a double play rapped into by Osterhouse ended the inning. Alcock allowed a two double in the bottom half, but kept the Cats off the board. Alabama put a scare into Kentucky in the top of the 9th, but ended up falling just short. Neal led off with a double and Torres drew his third walk of the game. Lemm struck out for the first out. Luke Vaughn singled to score Neal. Plattner followed with a single to load the bases with one out. Peyton Steele struck out on a full count and the Tide was down to their last out. Holt lined a two run single to close the margin to 8-7. With two on and two outs, Jack Bennett struck out Fowler to end the game.
Alabama hit 10-35 in the game with seven walks, three hit batters, eight strikeouts, three doubles, a home run, a sacrifice fly, three stolen bases, left 12 on bases, and committed three errors. Adams fell to 3-1 with the loss. Lemm finished 2-5 with a double and a home run. Holt was 2-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, stolen base, and two RBI. Plattner was w-4 with a double, hit by pitch, run score, and a run driven in. Fowler was 2-5 with a double and a walk. Neal was 1-3 with a sac fly, double run, walk, and RBI.
Kentucky hit 10-32 with three walks, seven strikeouts, two doubles, one home run, two sac bunts, and left five on base. Skelding moved to 2-0 with the win and Bennett earned his 5th save of the year.
Game Three- Lost 6-4
Alabama freshman right hander started on the mound for the Tide against right hander Nate Harris for Kentucky. Harris controlled the Tide across six no hit innings before running into trouble in the 7th frame. Upchurch had trouble with his command and walked as many batters in the game as he had in all games prior, but didn’t let the game get out hand.
Tide shortstop Justin LeBron was able to play after leaving game two with an injured ankle. Bama went down in order in the 1st on seven pitches. Upchurch walked the lead off man in the bottom half, then struck out the next man. A double play started after a nice catch on a foul pop by first baseman Andrew Purdy ended the inning. Alabama went down on order on the 2nd before the Cats took the lead in the bottom of the inning. With one out UK first baseman blasted his second home run of the weekend-and season-with one out. Upchurch issued two walks with two outs but got a fantastic defensive play by third baseman Jason Torres to squelch the rally.
Brennan Holt drew a walk with two outs in the 3rd for the first Tide base runner, but could not advance. Kentucky added two runs in their half of the 3rd on a single, hit batter, sac bunt, and a two run single by Tyler Bell. Brady Neal was hit by a pitch for Alabama in the top of the 4th, but the Tide still couldn’t manage a hit. Upchurch was chased from the game in the bottom of the 4th. After two quick outs Upchurch walked number nine batter Owen Jenkins and then a wild pitch advanced Jenkins to second. Lead off hitter Jayce Tharnish was intentionally walked and Upchurch was pulled in favor of left hander Matthew Heiberger. Heiberger walked the first man he faced to load the bases but ended the inning by striking out Ethan Hindle.
In the 5th Alabama got their third base runner of the game on a walk to Will Plattner but still couldn’t manage a hit. The Cats pushed their lead to 5-0 with two runs in the bottom of the 5th. On a very windy day the Wildcats took advantage of the conditions with a lead off, wind blown, pop fly, double by Bell. Brown then had a soft, wind blown single fall in short centerfield to score Bell. Brown stole second and scored on a two run bloop single by Ryan Schwartz. Bama went down in order in the 6th. Heiberger hit a batter and walked one in the Cats 6th and was replaced by Hagan Banks with two outs. Banks struck out Brown to strand the runners.
Alabama finally broke through in the top of the 7th. Torres lead off with a double to break up the no hitter. Johnny Lemm was hit by a pitch before Plattner laced a double down the third base line to score Torres. Pinch hitter Luke Vaughn walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter JoJo Williamson and Holt both struck out, bringing up lead off hitter Bryce Fowler. Fowler lined a 1-0 pitch into left field for a single. Lemm easily scored and Plattner was called out at the plate. After a review instigated by Alabama coach Rob Vaughn the call was overturned and the score was now 5-3. LeBron lined a single to score Vaughn, who just beat the throw to the plate. Neal grounded out to strand Fowler and LeBron, but the Tide had momentum with the 5-4 score.
Banks had a perfect bottom of the 7th with two fly outs and a strikeout. The Tide had chances in the top of the 8th. Lemm singled with one out and moved up in a wild pitch. Plattner reached on an error by third basemen Tyler Cerny, putting runners on the corner with one out. Vaughn struck out for the second out before Williamson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Holt struck out swinging to end the opportunity. Banks allowed a run on back to back doubles on the bottom half to give the Cats an insurance run at 6-4 before striking out the final two batters to end the inning. Bama went down in order in the 9th to end the game.
Alabama hit 5-33 in the game with five walks, three hit batters, 10 strikeouts, and left eight men on base. No one had more than one hit and Fowler had two RBI. Upchurch fell to 3-2 with the loss with 3.2 innings pitched, allowing three hits, walking five, striking out two, and allowing three runs. Kentucky finished 8-30 with seven walks, eight strikeouts, two hit batters, and left 10 men on base. Harris improved to 3-1 on the season and Nile Adcock garnered his first save of the year.
Who did what?
*Bryce Fowler 5-15, 2 RBI, BB
*Johnny Lemm 4-11, 2 home runs (3), double, 4 RBI, 3 runs, 3 walks
*Brennan Holt 3-9, 3 walks, HBP, stolen base, 2 RBI
*Will Plattner 3-7, 2 doubles, walk, HBP, 2 RBI, 2 runs
*Justin LeBron 3-12, home run (9), 2 RBI, 2 stolen bases (20), 3 runs
Alabama hit 23-102 for a .225 average with 15 walks, six hit batters, 25 strikeouts, and left 27 men on base. Kentucky finished 27-92 for a .293 average with 12 walks, 24 strikeouts, and left 17 on base.
The Tide put themselves in a hole early by being swept. Alabama never plays well at Kentucky and that continued this weekend. The team’s defense was sloppy, the offense was lacking, and the pitching wasn’t sharp. All in all a big disappointment to the start of SEC play. This week Bama travels to Mobile to play South Alabama on Tuesday and then hosts Florida on the weekend at Sewell Thomas Stadium.
Roll Tide
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