The Alabama Crimson Tide (5-2) offensive struggles continued Saturday afternoon against the No. 1 Texas Longhorns (7-0). 

Alabama lost 2-0 to the top-ranked team at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. 

In a game that was initially postponed an hour due to weather, dominant defenses were on display once again in game two of this three-game series. 

Junior infielder Zane Denton led off in the ninth with a walk. Senior infielder Will Portera came up to bat with a chance to score the game’s tying runs. Portera went down looking on the eighth pitch of his long at-bat.

Junior outfielder Owen Diodati looked to be the hero for the Crimson Tide once again, already hitting a walk-off homer in the team’s opening day game, but he went down swinging. 

The final chance for the Tide was on the bat of senior outfielder Tommy Seidl. He hit one deep to center field, but it didn’t go the distance. The game ended on the fly out at the warning track. 

In a game where both defenses were stingy, it only took a few spots of offense to fuel a Texas victory. The Longhorns found an offensive spark in the third and fourth innings. 

Two RBI doubles from the Longhorns’ Douglas Hodo and Anthony Todd, pushed the lead to 2-0. Hodo drove Ivan Melendez home in the third inning. Todd helped Trey Faltine cross the plate for the lone score of the fourth inning. 

In back-to-back games against the best team in the country, the Crimson Tide have managed to out hit the Longhorns — 7-5 in a one-point loss Friday night, and 5-4 in the loss Saturday.

However, the Crimson Tide have been unable to capitalize on their offensive opportunities. Alabama has left 18 players on base and has gone scoreless in the last two games. 

“This is the second day in a row that we out-hit Texas, second day in a row we’ve hit more balls on the barrel and hard,” Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon said. “Baseball’s not fair, but if we play tomorrow the way that we’ve played the last two days, then we should have a chance to come out on top.”  

Both teams have put on excellent pitching displays. Junior pitcher Antoine Jean (0-1) made the start for the Tide. The left-hander pitched 5.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 K’s. 

“Antoine did a really good job against an all right-handed lineup, did a really good job locating his changeup for us,” Bohannon said. “I don’t believe in moral victories, but I’m really proud of the way we competed.” 

Freshman Hunter Furtado entered the game in relief of Jean. He pitched 3 scoreless innings in 36 pitches. 

Tristan Stevens (2-0) got the win for the Longhorns, pitching 6.0 scoreless innings and throwing 4 K’s on 92 pitches. 

The Crimson Tide has one more opportunity to leave Texas with a victory. The two teams face off for the final meeting of the series on Sunday, Feb. 27, at 1:30 p.m. CT on the Longhorn Network.