Alabama scores big in Vegas, sweeps the series against UNLV

Carey Reeder | @realCareyReeder, Staff Reporter

After capturing both wins on Friday in its doubleheader with UNLV, Alabama hit the flush and swept the series on Sunday with a 5-1 win to remain unbeaten.

Alabama (7-0) was led by junior outfielder Tyler Gentry and his pair of two-run home runs. It is Gentry’s second multi-homer game of his career, the other against Samford last season on April 19. Gentry finished the game 2 for 4 with four RBIs which tied his career-high.

Sam Praytor added his third solo homer of the series to give the duo a full house of deep shots on the weekend. It is Alabama’s third multi-home run game this season and the Crimson Tide has left the park in all but one game all year.

Freshman pitcher Antoine Jean picked up his second win in as many starts to begin his Crimson Tide career. The Canadian surrendered one earned run on five hits and posted three strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work.

“I’m really proud of our kids,” Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said. “To go on the road and sweep anybody is a big accomplishment, especially early in the season in a place with a lot of distractions.”

With Sunday’s win, Alabama extended its winning streak in its first road series of the season to seven. The Crimson Tide traveled to Oklahoma in 2018 where it dropped two of its three games but has since swept South Alabama last season and now UNLV.

Sophomore righty Jacob McNairy threw the longest outing in his Alabama career going 4.0 innings giving up two hits. The Crimson Tide bullpen held the Rebels scoreless in its 13.0 innings.

Gentry got Alabama on the board early with the first of his two home runs in the first inning that scored sophomore outfielder T.J. Reeves after his single.

UNLV pulled a run back in the third inning with first baseman Jack-Thomas Wold doubling to right center field to make it 2-1 for the sole Rebels’ run.

With senior third baseman Brett Auerbach aboard, Gentry launched his second home run to left field to score two more runs for Alabama to make it 4-1.

Auerbach finished 2 for 3 on the day with two hits, one walk and earned his team-high sixth stolen base of the season.

Praytor added the solo home run in the eighth to extend the lead to 5-1 for his third of the season which ties his season-high from his freshman year in 2018. Alabama’s 1-2-3-4 hitters in Auerbach, Reeves, Gentry and Praytor combined for six of the seven Crimson Tide hits in the game.

Alabama stole three bases on Sunday, one each for Auerbach, freshman second baseman Jim Jarvis and senior shortstop Kolby Robinson. Robinson extended his hitting streak to six games going 1 for 4 with a single in the ninth inning.

Alabama returns home on Tuesday for its first of 10-straight games at Sewell-Thomas Stadium against UT-Martin.

“I’m really pleased our guys,” Bohannon said. “There’s certainly plenty of things for us to work on but I’m really excited about the way things are going.”