Alabama Baseball Falls to No. 5 Arkansas, 7-3
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama baseball was handed its 25th loss of the season on Thursday evening, falling 7-3 to the No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Crimson Tide has now lost eight of its last 10 games dating back to April 28 at South Carolina, with its most recent game at Auburn last Sunday being canceled due to poor weather.
"Tough loss tonight," Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon said after the game. "[...] I think the obvious difference in the game is Arkansas got three big hits with people on base. When they had runners on base, they hit two home runs and a double and we actually got a couple of big hits tonight and they were singles and that's the only difference in the ball game tonight."
In the bottom of the second, Alabama posted the first runs of the game when left fielder Tommy Seidl hit an RBI-double down the left field line. One out later, center fielder Caden Rose hit an RBI-single, giving the Crimson Tide a 2-0 lead.
Alabama built on its lead in the bottom of the fourth when designated hitter William Hamiter hit a two-out RBI-single to left field to give the Crimson Tide a three-run advantage. It would, however, be the last run of the game scored by Alabama.
In the top of the fifth, Arkansas responded with a two-run, two-out home run by first baseman Peyton Stovall. After another two-out single and a walk, Razorbacks third baseman Cayden Wallace launched a three-run home run to give Arkansas a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the ninth, Razorbacks shortstop Jalen Battles doubled to left center, bringing two more runs across the plate to give Arkansas a 7-3 lead. The game ultimately ended with that same score.
Arkansas relief pitcher Evan Taylor (5-0) was issued the win, while closer Brady Tygart (8) was credited with the save. Alabama starting pitcher Garrett McMillan (4-5), who surrendered all five of the Razorbacks' runs in the fifth, was saddled with the loss.
With the loss, Alabama falls to 27-25 overall and is now 10-17 in SEC play. Arkansas rises to 38-14 overall and is 18-10 in the conference. Up next, the Crimson Tide and the Razorbacks will play in Game 2 of the series on Friday evening (7 p.m. CT, SEC Network).
Alabama Stats
Arkansas Stats
How it happened...
Final Score: Arkansas 7, Alabama 3
Bottom 9
- Tamez grounded out to second. Ball game.
- Williamson flied out to left field. Two out.
- Hamiter grounded out to short. One out.
- Rose drew a full-count walk, then stole second unopposed.
Top 9
- Gregory grounded out to second.
- Battles doubled to left center, then advanced to third on a throwing error by the shortstop. Two runs score. 7-3 Arkansas.
- Luke Holman replaced Leger on the mound for Alabama.
- Stovall struck out looking. Two outs.
- Webb drew a full-count walk. Runners on first and second, one out.
- Vernado pinch ran for Slavens.
- Slavens doubled down the left field line. Runner on second, one out.
- Lanzilli lined out to second. One out.
- Portera replaced Diodati at second, who pinch-hit for Eblin in the eighth.
Bottom 8
- Diodati struck out swinging, and Alabama leaves another runner stranded on second as we head to the ninth.
- Owen Diodati in to pinch hit for Eblin.
- Seidl struck out swinging. Two out.
- Brady Tygart replaced Taylor on the mound for Arkansas.
- Jarvis struck out swinging. One out.
- Pinckney doubled down the right field line. Runner on second, nobody out for Jarvis.
Top 8
- Moore flied out to left field. Side retired in order.
- Turner struck out looking. Two down.
- Wallace grounded out to second. One out.
Bottom 7
- Denton grounded into a double play. Inning over.
- Tamez drew a full-count walk. Runner on first, one out with Denton stepping up to the plate.
- Williamson struck out swinging. One out.
Top 7
- Gregory struck out looking. Side retired.
- Battles flied out to right. Two out.
- Stovall grounded out to short, Webb advanced to second. One out.
- Webb singled to left center. Runner on first, nobody out.
Bottom 6
- Hamiter struck out looking. Inning over.
- Rose singled to right-center field, Jarvis advanced to third. Two out, runners at the corners for Hamiter.
- Eblin struck out looking. Two out.
- Evan Taylor replaces Ramage on the mound for Arkansas.
- Seidl struck out swinging. One out.
- Jarvis drew a full-count walk. Nobody out.
Top 6
- Slavens popped up to short. Side retired.
- Lanzilli caught stealing, catcher to shortstop. Two out.
- Jake Leger replaces Garrett McMillan on the mound. Final line for McMillan: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 97 TP.
- Lanzilli singled through the left side. Runner on first, one out.
- Moore flied out to right field. One out.
Bottom 5
- Pinckney grounded out to short. Side retired in order.
- Denton struck out swinging. Two out.
- Tamez flied out to center field. One out.
- Kole Ramage replaces Will McEntire on the mound for the Razorbacks.
Top 5
- Turner struck out swinging, and we head to the bottom of the fifth with a radically different ball game.
- Wallace hit a home run to left field. Three runs score. 5-3 Arkansas.
- Gregory drew a full-count walk. Runners on first and second with two out.
- Battles stole second.
- Battles singled to right center. Runner on first, two out.
- Stovall hit a home run to right-center field. Two runs score. 3-2 Alabama.
- Webb fouled out to right field. Two out.
- Slavens flied out to center field. One out.
- Lanzilli singled to left-center field, and Arkansas has its first baserunner of the game.
Bottom 4
- Williamson struck out swinging. Inning over.
- Hamiter singled to left, Rose scored. 3-0 Alabama.
- Rose doubled down the left-field line. Two out, runner on second for Hamiter.
- Eblin grounded out to second. Two out.
- Seidl grounded out to third. One out.
Top 4
- Moore grounded out to first. Side retired 1-2-3.
- Turner grounded out to short. Two down.
- Wallace flied out to center. One out.
Bottom 3
- Jarvis grounded out into a double play. Inning over.
- Pinckney drew a full-count walk, Denton advanced to second. Two on with one out for Jarvis.
- Denton singled to right-center field. Runner on first, one out for Pinckney.
- Tamez grounded out to third. One out.
Top 3
- Gregory struck out looking. McMillan has now retired nine-straight batters to start the game.
- Battles flied out to right field. Two away.
- Stovall flied out to center. One out.
Bottom 2
- Williamson struck out swinging, and Alabama leaves runners on second and third.
- Hamiter flied out to right field, Rose advanced to second on the throw. Two out.
- Rose singled to left field, Seidl advanced to third, Jarvis scored. 2-0 Alabama. One out, runners at the corners for Hamiter.
- Eblin struck out swinging, out at first. One out, runners still on second and third for Rose.
- Seidl doubled down the left field line, Jarvis advanced to third, Pinckney scored. 1-0 Alabama. Still nobody out.
- Jarvis singled to left-center field. Pinckney advanced to third. Runners at the corners with nobody out for Seidl.
- Pinckney singled to short. Nobody out, runner on first for Jarvis.
Top 2
- Webb grounded out to short, and the side is retired in order.
- Slavens grounded out to second.
- Lanzilli grounded out to third. One out.
Bottom 1
- Denton grounded out to second. Inning over.
- Tamez drew a four-pitch walk. Runners on first and second, two out for Denton.
- Williamson singled through the right side. Runner on first, two out for Tamez.
- Hamiter struck out swinging. Two out.
- Rose flied out to left field. One out.
Top 1
- Moore struck out swinging, and just like that the side is retired 1-2-3.
- Turner grounded out to second. Two out.
- Wallace struck out swinging. One down.
