In Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex, in Mongomery, Alabama, the Crimson Tide squared off against the Alabama State Hornets for the first game of Alabama’s five-game road trip. Alabama would prevail in Tuesday’s matchup, defeating the Hornets 15-7.
The meeting in Montgomery marked the second time the two programs have played each other in the 2024 season. In the previous meeting with the Hornets, back in February, the Crimson Tide took a 12-0 win in Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Southpaw Zane Adams got the start for the Crimson Tide as he solidified himself into the midweek starting job. Adams started the year hot and continues to impress while on the hill.
The Hornets, however, acted fast to open the scoring in the bottom of the first with a one-out solo home run from Jamal George, putting Alabama State ahead of Alabama for the first time this season.
In the top half of the second, catcher Kameron Guangorena got the Crimson Tide on the board, tying the game at 1 with a sacrifice fly into center field, scoring first baseman Will Hodo, who tagged from third.
Swinging a hot bat, outfielder TJ McCants homered in both the top of the third inning with a solo blast and the top of the fourth with a two-run shot, putting Alabama ahead 4-1. The sweet-swinging lefty was able to pull both home runs over the right-field wall.
“Our bats were okay early, but TJ kind of let us breathe a little bit. Those were some unbelievable at-bats out of him,” head coach Rob Vaughn said.
Despite the Hornets getting one run back in the bottom of the fifth, Alabama tacked on four more runs in the top half of the sixth to extend its lead for the night. Third baseman Gage Miller singled to second base, which brought home Hodo to make it 5-2. With Miller and Guangorena on the bases, McCants ripped his third home run of the game, and his three-run jack into right field extended the Crimson Tide’s lead to 8-2. McCants was responsible for six of Alabama’s eight scored.
Although Alabama State tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, Alabama pulled away with seven runs in the top of the seventh inning. Shortstop Justin Lebron, Miller, left fielder Ian Petrutz, right fielder Evan Sleight and second baseman Mason Swinney all tallied RBIs to put the Crimson Tide ahead 15-7.
McCants, though, remained the star of the night.
“TJ was just phenomenal, and we needed that on a night like tonight, just to create a little room for us and get us going,” Vaughn said.
The Hornets accounted for two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough as the Crimson Tide offense powered its way to a shelling of Alabama State, defeating the Hornets 15-7. Alabama took the season series and swept the Hornets in 2024. The Crimson Tide next plays in Athens, Georgia, against the Georgia Bulldogs for its first road SEC series on the season.
