Alabama baseball had a strong showing in its first midweek games of the season, defeating Middle Tennessee State and Alabama State.
Tuesday: Alabama 12, Middle Tennessee State 2
The Crimson Tide handled its first midweek game of the season strongly, defeating the Blue Raiders 12-2 in what was the team’s third game in a row with double-digit runs.
“Offensively, I thought we were unbelievable,” head coach Rob Vaughn said. “All-around a great showing.”
Alabama struck first in the opening frame in a rather unconventional way with a bases-loaded walk by first baseman Jason Torres that scored outfielder Bryce Fowler.
It was in the third inning when the Crimson Tide began to pile on, scoring 4 runs with 2 of them coming on a 2-RBI double from outfielder Coleman Mizell.
Starting pitcher JT Blackwood’s only allowed run came in the fourth inning, but he finished with a solid line overall as he pitched 4 innings, giving up three hits and only 1 earned run while striking out three.
In the bottom of the inning, first baseman Will Hodo added his first home run of the season on a solo blast to right center. Later on in the inning, shortstop Justin Lebron singled home two more runs and gave the Crimson Tide an 8-1 advantage.
Tyler Fay came in relief of Blackwood in the fifth and pitched well, allowing no baserunners and striking out a pair of batters through the next two innings of work.
“When he’s at the bottom of the zone, he just doesn’t get hit,” Vaughn said. “That guy is gonna end up starting some games, and he can do a little bit of everything, whether it’s starting or coming in relief.”
After Middle Tennessee State scored a run in the top of the seventh, Alabama struck back in the bottom of the inning. Hodo doubled home a run, second baseman Brennan Norton singled home another and outfielder Kade Snell hit a sacrifice fly, extending the Crimson Tide lead to 11-2.
Then in the bottom of the eighth, Lebron called game as he hit his second homer of the season on a solo shot to left to enforce the mercy rule at 12-2.
Alabama had more walks (10) than strikeouts (9), with four players walking at least twice.
“I thought the approach at our plate was just elite,” Vaughn said. “We worked some counts and drove some pitch counts up.”
Wednesday: Alabama 15, Alabama State 1
Alabama secured its fifth win of the season and fourth game in a row scoring double-digit runs, beating the Alabama State Hornets 15-1 in sub-40-degree weather.
“That was an uncomfortable baseball game right there from a temperature perspective, but you wouldn’t have known that sitting in that dugout,” Vaughn said.
Alabama went up 3-0 early in the second inning after a double in the bottom of the first scored one, and a single in the second scored two.
In the bottom of the third with loaded bases, pitcher Trey Power walked a runner, sending one home and giving Alabama the 4-0 advantage.
Following the walk, Fowler stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and one out, and he hit a grand slam, giving Alabama an 8-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, consecutive singles by Plattner and Bonomolo with runners on bases gave Alabama two more runs, adding to the total and making it a 10-0 game.
Alabama’s third pitcher, Beau Bryans, entered the game and allowed the Hornets to load the bases. However, he managed to keep Alabama State scoreless and end the inning.
“Whatever it was, walk and then double, he didn’t flinch,” Vaughn said about Bryans in the bases loaded situation. “He just settled in, executed pitches, and got out of a big jam.”
A double by Torres was followed by a wild pitch moving him to first and setting up a single to send him home for a 11-0 lead.
Then with two base runners, Bonomolo hit a double, sending both home and adding two for the Crimson Tide.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hodo came up to bat and hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to send Peyton Steele home from third base and give the Crimson Tide a 14-0 advantage.
With runners on first and second, Snell made another appearance at the plate and secured himself a single and an RBI, sending Torres home for yet another run and a 15-0 lead.
Pitcher Jack Ketchum entered the game for the seventh, allowing a few hits and a run before closing the game, which ended 15-1 due to the mercy rule.
“I thought offensively we were really relentless. That’s what we want to be,” Vaugnn said. “We’re just going to grind out at-bats until the game’s over, regardless of what that looks like.”
