Alabama Baseball Falls Short vs No. 14 Georgia, 4-2

Four runs in the top of the first for the Bulldogs were all they needed to hand the Crimson Tide its eighth SEC loss of the season.

Author:
Joey Blackwell
Publish date:
Apr 22, 2022 10:15 PM EDT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A four-run top of the first inning for No. 14 Georgia was all the Bulldogs needed as it took care of business against Alabama on Friday night, 4-2.

The Crimson Tide stranded a total of 11 baserunners over the course of the game despite a bounce-back performance by starting pitcher Garrett McMillan as well as solid relief out of the bullpen.

"I think if we had been able to scratch a run or two here or there, if you're chasing two on the back-third of the game — the back three innings — it's a lot different than chasing four," Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon said. "Besides the top of the first, I thought it was a really good college baseball game.

"I thought it was very well-played, very even and we just didn't do enough in the top of the first."

In the top of the first, a sac-fly by Georgia third baseman Parks Harber gave the Bulldogs the first run of the game. However, Georgia wasn't done scoring. With two outs posted on the board, right fielder Cole Wagner hit a three-run home run over the wall in left field, catapulting the Bulldogs out to a 4-0 lead to start the game.

While Alabama starting pitcher Garrett McMillan was rattled in the first, it didn't take him long to settle in afterwards — such as has been the typical story with McMillan all season. While he gave up four hits and four runs in the first, he proceeded to pitch six innings and gave up just two more hits over the course of his final five while walking just one batter and striking out five more.

For Georgia, its starting pitcher was just as solid. Nolan Crisp held on through five and two-thirds innings, giving up no runs off of five hits while walking none and striking out five batters.

Alabama didn't score its first run until the bottom of the seventh when catcher Dominic Tamez hit a leadoff home run to finally give the Crimson Tide a run. In the bottom of the eighth, it was the same story: another leadoff home run, this time by right fielder William Hamiter.

After the first inning, it was a pitcher's duel the rest of the way. In the end, Alabama left a total of 11 runners on base, only able to score its two runs from leadoff home runs. Georgia struggled to get men on base after the first inning, but it didn't need to with its four-run lead established in the first.

Alabama's bullpen picked up right where their starters left off, with Hunter Furtado giving up no hits or runs through one inning pitched. Braylon Myers came in to reliever Furtado, achieving the same in the eighth: no hits or runs allowed.

In the ninth, Myers stranded two runners on second and third while striking out two batters. When it was Alabama's turn to bat, though, the Crimson Tide was unable to tally any more runs, and Georgia took Game 1 with a final score of 4-2.

Crisp (1-1) was credited with the win for Georgia, with reliever Jack Gowen (7) earning the save. McMillan (4-3) was saddled with the loss for Alabama.

With the loss, Alabama drops to 23-16 overall and is now .500 in SEC play with an 8-8 record. Georgia rises to 27-11 with the victory and is 10-6 in the conference. Up next, the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs will face each other in Saturday's Game 2 (2 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).