Alabama’s bats had been quiet heading into the seventh inning. It had three runs on four hits, but since the third inning it had only managed three base runners.
Starting the seventh, Alabama got its first two batters on base, coming off a Gene Wood walk and a double by Chandler Avant. Wood would score on a sacrifice fly, coming off the bat of Kyle Kaufman. Avant would come around to score off a single by Hunter Alexander, who would soon follow coming off a single by Chandler Taylor.
“We did a good job of getting the bunt down, moved him [Wood] over and scored him,” head coach Greg Goff said. “I feel like we aren’t consistently doing that. To me this offense is capable of scoring every inning.”
Alabama lead the whole game, scoring first by a two-run home run by Cody Henry, his first of the year. Connor Short would score from the long ball. Alexander also had a sacrifice fly in the third inning, eventually leading to a 6-5 win. He finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
“It was nice [not having to come back in games],” Goff said. “Its year one, there’s nothing easy about year one. Every win we get is huge.”
On the mound for the Crimson Tide, it was the two Garrets, Garret Rukes and Garrett Suchey. Rukes started for the second time in his Alabama career. He went 4.2 innings, allowing two runs off four hits, while striking out four. Suchey finished with the win, going 4 innings and allowed three runs off five hits, while striking out six. Davis Vainer earned the save by striking out the only batter he faced.
“I thought Garret [Rukes] did a good job for us,” Goff said. “He put zeros up early. I wanted to let him extend, but I thought the game was right there. Suchey has been one of our best guys out of the bullpen.”
On the other side, Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s starter Thomas Sanchez took the loss. He went 5.2 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, off four hits. Antonie Luster II allowed three runs off two hits in his one inning of work.
The Golden Lions put the pressure on in the ninth inning, scoring three off a three run home run that landed in the second section of seats in the right field terrace, hit by pinch hitter Joshua Williams. It also scored two in the fifth inning, coming off Julian Jones’ single to left field.
