Alabama Athletics
No. 22 Alabama Baseball Defeats Jacksonville State, 5-2
Alabama baseball improved to 4-0 on Tuesday night as the Crimson Tide beat Jacksonville State on the road, 3-2.
"I'm really glad to get the win," Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said. "Obviously, it wasn't pretty, and there are plenty of things that we still need to get better at, but I'm really excited to grind out a win."
In his first outing of the season, redshirt-senior right-handed pitcher William Freeman threw for an even four innings and allowed one run off of four hits. Freeman also struck out five batters and walked none.
Alabama jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a leadoff solo home run by sophomore left fielder Peyton Wilson in the top of the first. However, Jacksonville State was able to tie the game in the bottom of the second off of a double by junior shortstop Isaac Alexander.
In the top of the fifth, Crimson Tide redshirt-sophomore catcher Sam Praytor launched a home run over the left field fence, scoring himself and sophomore designated fielder Owen Diodati to give Alabama a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Gamecocks cut the Crimson Tide lead to one run with a solo home run by senior center fielder Tre Kirklin.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, sophomore right fielder Will Hamiter singled to right field adding two more runs to the Alabama lead and making the score 5-2. Jacksonville State would not be able to add any more runs, and the Crimson Tide won the game.
Redshirt-sophomore pitcher Landon Green (1-0), who replaced Freeman in the fourth, was credited with the win for the Crimson Tide. Green pitched a total of two and two-thirds innings and allowed one run off of one hit, struck out three and walked two. Junior closer Chase Lee earned his first save of the season.
Alex Luigs was saddled with the loss for Jacksonville State (0-1).
Alabama baseball returns to Tuscaloosa on Wednesday for a one-off game against UT-Martin (3 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).
