Neither bad weather nor the Trojans could beat the Crimson Tide baseball team Wednesday, as Alabama won a thriller at home, 6-5.
The Tide jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Taylor Dugas scored off a Jared Reaves RBI. The Tide extended its lead to three in the fourth. However, the Trojans came back and tied the game, 3-3 in the seventh inning, and extended their lead by one in the ninth. Still, the Tide was able to tie the game and take it to extra innings. In the 11th inning, however, Troy led Alabama 5-4. With two men on base, Andrew Miller got a double, bringing in runners Jon Kelton and Brett Booth to win the game, 6-5.
“[It was] one of those games,” head coach Mitch Gaspard said. “Obviously nasty conditions all night, but I thought we competed really hard. Obviously down twice late, we found a way to come back and tie, and of course Miller gets the big hit at the end to win it. It’s a big win for this new team, and I think it can carry us forward.”
For Gaspard, the Tide’s fourth straight win showed him how tough his team can be, especially considering the Tide had lost its previous four games.
“We’re improving,” Gaspard said. “That’s really what we’re looking for. At least right now, I think we’re moving in the right direction. I think we still have some holes, still see some breakdowns right now, but I think overall we’re competing a lot harder.”
Brett Booth, who had two hits on the night, agreed with Gaspard.
“It’s just starting to get contagious to compete,” Booth said. “And it’s just one win after another. This game really shows you how we’re going to play the rest of the season. We’re going to get good starting pitching, and then we’re just going to compete and play and just never give up, never put us out of the game.”
One of the game’s main competitors was Jonathan Smart. Smart, who was the starting pitcher for the Tide, threw six scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the seventh.
“I thought Smart was really good tonight with a start going seven innings,” Gaspard said. “In his defense, he’s been a reliever, you know. He spot started today, he was on a roll. We stretched him, and I think he really tired. But overall, I thought he was tremendous tonight.”
Despite knocking in the winning-run, Andrew Miller said the game was not won by any single player on the team.
“We performed on the mound tonight,” Miller said. “And defensively, and every aspect of the game. I mean, we battled, the pitchers battled, we did everything you have to do to win a ball game.”
The Tide will have no time to dwell on the win, as it has to look forward to playing the Georgia Bulldogs today at 6 p.m. in Lawrenceville, Ga. The Bulldogs will be the Tide’s first Southeastern opponent of the year, however, the game will count as a non-conference game.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” Gaspard said. “It will give them a first look at what an SEC team looks like. Hopefully we can play well.
“The key to me is you can’t beat yourself. You have to make plays… and if we do that, you’ll put yourself in a position to win a lot more ball games.”
