It was all Alabama Tuesday night as it dismantled Samford in a 16-2 run-rule victory, securing head coach Rob Vaughn’s 100th win as Alabama’s head coach.
“Good night, I thought maybe our most complete game, to be honest with you, we played all year,” Vaughn said. “I thought the offense was electric.”
The Crimson Tide wasted no time getting the scoring started. Center fielder Bryce Fowler crushed a double off the wall in left, and shortstop Justin Lebron followed with a single, putting runners at the corners. Right fielder Brady Neal was plunked to load the bases before third baseman Jason Torres sent a two-run single to give the Crimson Tide a 2-0 advantage.
Then, freshman outfielder Tuscaloosa native Eric Hines lined an RBI base knock to left, extending the lead to 3-0. A couple of batters later, fellow freshman outfielder Chase Kroberger made it a 4-0 ballgame via an RBI fielder’s choice.
The Bulldogs made it a 4-2 game in the top of the second inning, thanks to an RBI double off the wall in right field by first baseman Jackson Harris. Third baseman Parker McDonald followed with an RBI single.
The Crimson Tide tacked on four more runs in the bottom half of the frame with a three-run homer from first baseman Luke Vaughn, his sixth of the year. The next batter, Kroberger, crushed a solo shot, his first collegiate hit and home run, making it back-to-back homers.
“Chase is just a dog, and he’s always bringing the juice every day,” Hines said of Kroberger. “Comes in, works his tail off, day in, day out. I mean, he just earned it. It was time coming, and once he got his opportunity, he came through.”
Left-hander Connor Lehman replaced Crimson Tide starting pitcher JT Blackwood on the mound with two outs and a runner on second in the top of the fifth, and he picked up a flyout to end the frame. Blackwood tossed 4.2 innings and 52 pitches, allowing two runs and six hits, with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Crimson Tide put up four more runs in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI fielder’s choice from Fowler. Lebron followed with an RBI single, making it 10-2. Two more runs came across to score on an E5 from Bulldogs third baseman McDonald, extending the Crimson Tide’s lead to 12-2.
Lehman remained in for the sixth and worked a scoreless frame. In the bottom half of the inning, Hines crushed a two-run home run into the visitors’ bullpen, extending the lead to 14-2.
“It felt nothing short of amazing,” Hines said. “Growing up, always coming to the games, always wanting to see myself on this field representing this university, God is good. He gave me the chance to come here, and I thank him for it.”
Later in the sixth, outfielder Peyton Steele pinch hit for Fowler and delivered a two-run double off the wall in center, making it 16-2.
Righty Anthony Pesci took over for Lehman in the seventh inning and recorded the final three outs to give the Crimson Tide a 16-2 run-rule victory.
The Crimson Tide will be back in action Friday night at The Joe against No. 22 Arkansas, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. CT. The game is available to stream on SECN+.
