Live Updates: Alabama Baseball Playing for Sweep of Xavier
Grayson Hitt is on the mound for the Crimson Tide as Alabama tries to clinch the sweep of the Musketeers.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - In games one and two of Alabama's opening series against Xavier, the Crimson Tide prevailed by a score of 5-4 in both games. Both games were drastically different, though.
Game one featured a four-run ninth inning from Alabama, ending with a heroic first pitch walk-off home run from Owen Diodati. In game two, Alabama took control early with a four-run second inning, and the Crimson Tide held off a late threat from the Musketeers.
Sophomore LHP Grayson Hitt is set to start today's game for Alabama, his first outing of the year. Head coach Brad Bohannon said that Hitt progressed a good bit over summer ball this past offseason, so Alabama will be looking for a strong start to the season from the southpaw.
There is not a cloud in the sky at The Joe as the field is being painted. Stay tuned here for live updates throughout the Sunday afternoon game between Alabama and Xavier:
Live Updates:
(most recent update at the top)
Final Stats:
Gallery: Alabama Completes Opening Weekend Sweep of Xavier
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Top 9
- Eblin secures a pop out to end the game. Alabama wins 9-4 to sweep Xavier.
- DiMartino singles to left to keep Xavier alive.
- Back-to-back strikeouts, and fans are on their feet with one out remaining.
- One down as Hoopes makes the hitter look silly on a breaking ball.
- RHP Hunter Hoopes is on to pitch for Alabama. Pinckney subs for Rose in center as Xavier is down to its last three outs.
Bottom 8
END 8: Alabama 9, Xavier 4
- Rose hits the third groundout of the inning to end the eighth.
- Seidl ropes a double down the left field line, and Jarvis hustles to score from first. Seidl has three hits and two RBI in the game. 9-4 Alabama.
- Jarvis flies down the line for an infield single on a slow roller. Two out with one on.
- Hamiter rolls over to first on the first pitch of the inning.
Top 8
MID 8: Alabama 8, Xavier 4
- Williamson finds the pop out in foul ground to end the inning.
- Another ground ball finds its way around the Alabama defense, and the runner from third comes in to score. 8-4 Alabama with runners at the corners.
- Jarvis throws high to first, pulling Williamson off the bag. The runner is safe and Xavier has two on with two out.
- Jarvis backhands, jumps, and fires to second to get the lead runner on a slick fielding play. Two down.
- Gainey sneaks a fastball by Holtz for the strikeout.
- Walker singles just past Eblin to begin the inning.
- Junior RHP Brayden Gainey is the new Crimson Tide pitcher, his first Alabama outing.
Bottom 7
END 7: Alabama 8, Xavier 3
- Denton flies out to straightaway center to end the seventh, but Alabama is able to add two insurance runs in the eighth.
- Tamez stings a ground ball that gets under the glove of the shortstop, and Seidl and Eblin come around to score. Ruled an error, so no RBI for Tamez. 8-3 Alabama.
- Williamson bounces out to second, as the Musketeers are only able to get the one out at first on the high hopper. Runners advance to second and third. Two out.
- With a 2-2 count on Williamson, RHP Luke Bell enters the game in relief for Xavier.
- Eblin takes the 2-1 pitch off the helmet, and he seems to be alright. Runners on first and second with one out.
- Rose skies one to left, but it is settled under for the first out.
- Seidl has a multi-hit game with a single into right field to leadoff the seventh.
Top 7
MID 7: Alabama 6, Xavier 3
Holman: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 0 BB on 58 pitches
- Jarvis flips to Eblin at second to retire the side, and it is stretch time at The Joe.
- RHP Hunter Hoopes is warming up in the Alabama bullpen.
- Ground ball to Jarvis at short, and he makes a heads-up play to get the runner at third. Huntzinger scores from third on the fielder's choice. 6-3 Alabama.
- Housing doubles down the right field line, and Xavier has two runners in scoring position with one out.
- Diving stop by Denton, but the throw is a tad offline. Huntzinger reaches on the infield single.
- Denton makes the play on a slow roller to nab Rivero at first.
Stats through six innings:
Bottom 6
END 6: Alabama 6, Xavier 2
- Hamiter grounds out to second, Diodati flies out to left, and Jarvis strikes out. Lynch has not allowed a hit since entering the game for Xavier.
Top 6
MID 6: Alabama 6, Xavier 2
Holman: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 K on 38 pitches
- Holman gets out of the inning with a lineout to Hamiter.
- Cushing stings a ground ball down the third baseline for a double, bringing in another Musketeer run. Runners on second and third with two outs. 6-2 Alabama.
- Seidl camps under a fly ball for out number two.
- Walker singles through the right side, scoring Housinger from second. Xaiver is on the board with two on and one out in the sixth. 6-1 Alabama.
- Holman gets an important strikeout on a curveball in the dirt. One out.
- Franzoni connects, sending ball off Holman's glove on the mound. Everyone is safe, and the Musketeers have two on with no outs.
- Housinger smacks a leadoff single up the middle for Xavier.
Bottom 5
END 5: Alabama 6, Xavier 0
- Batting from the right side, Denton strikes out swinging to leave two runners stranded for Alabama in the fifth.
- Tamez lines the third pitch of the at-bat to right field, and Rose tags up to score. 6-0 Alabama and Eblin advances to third.
- Williamson lines the first pitch to the feet of the right fielder, and Bohannon holds Rose at third. Bases loaded for Tamez, and Xavier is bringing in LHP Jack Lynch out of the bullpen.
- Eblin walks and there are ducks on the pond for Williamson.
- A balk by the Xavier pitcher advances Rose to second.
- Rose gets his fourth hit of the series through the right side of the infield.
- Seidl pops out in foul ground, and the Xavier catcher makes a sliding play for the putout.
Top 5
MID 5: Alabama 5, Xavier 0
- In his first collegiate inning, Holman retires the side in order, including a strikeout to end it. He's got an impressive breaking ball that Xavier hitters struggled to figure out.
- Holman forces a roller to third on a breaking ball for out number one.
- Freshman RHP Luke Holman takes over for Hitt to begin the fifth. This is Holman's first action in a Crimson Tide jersey.
Bottom 4
END 4: Alabama 5, Xavier 0
- Jarvis rolls over to first for the third out, and Alabama leaves one on base in the fourth.
- Diodati strikes out for the second time today, and Jarvis steps in with Hamiter still on second.
- Hamiter drops one in right center and legs out a double on the 11th pitch of the at-bat. One on, one down for Diodati.
- In the midst of Hamiter's 10+ pitch at-bat, Denton is picked off at first.
- Denton draws a leadoff walk on a full count.
Top 4
Hitt: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 6 K, 1 BB, on 64 pitches
- Hamiter catches a fly ball out in right field. Side retired.
- Rose fields a fly-out. Two out, runner on first.
- Denton is unable to come up with a ground ball, and Xavier has a runner on first with one out.
- Hamiter has to run a long way from his spot in right field, but makes a catch in foul territory down the right side. One out.
Bottom 3
END 3: Alabama 5, Xavier 0
- Tamez grounded out to second. Side retired.
- Williamson is struck out swinging. Two out.
- Eblin drives in Seidl with an RBI-single. 5-0 Alabama. Runners on first and second with one out.
- Final line for Eisenhardt: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 K, 4 BB, 70 TP.
- Jonathan Kelly will replace Eisenhardt on the mound
- Another wild pitch advances Seidl to third. Rose was walked on the play. Runners at the corners with one out for Eblin.
- Seidl stole second on a wild pitch. One out.
- Tommy Seidl singles to left, driving in Diodati. 4-0 Alabama. One out, runner on first.
- Jarvis flied out to right field, sac fly RBI. 3-0 Alabama. One out, Diodati on third.
- Diodati singled to right, then advanced to second on a throwing error by the left fielder to the catcher. Denton scores, Hamiter to third. Still no out. 2-0 Alabama.
- Hamiter doubles through the gap in center field. Denton advances to third. Nobody out with two runners in scoring position for Diodati.
- Denton is walked. Runner on first, nobody out.
Top 3
MID 3: Alabama 1, Xavier 0
Hitt: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 6 K, 1 BB on 46 pitches
- Hitt struck out the side in order.
- Hitt caught Housinger looking for his fifth K of the afternoon.
- Hitt struck out Huntzinger (swinging). That's Hitt's fourth K of the day.
Bottom 2
END 2: Alabama 1, Xavier 0
- Tamez puts a charge into the first pitch, but it is tracked down on the warning track in left to end the inning. Three left on base for Alabama.
- Williamson draws a walk to bring in Jarvis for the games first run. Bases are still loaded with Tamez at the plate. 1-0 Alabama.
- The fourth pitch of Eblin's at-bat hits him on the arm, and the bases are loaded.
- Rose can't find the breaking ball from Eisenhardt all at-bat, and he strikes out for out number two.
- Seidl earns his third walk of the series to give Alabama runners on first and second with one down.
- Jarvis gets down the line to first on a slow roller, and he reaches base despite a valiant effort from the Xavier pitcher.
- Diodati strikes out for the third time in the series to begin the inning.
Top 2
MID 2: Alabama 0, Xavier 0
Hitt: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K, 1 BB on 31 pitches
- A masterful inning from Hitt, as he gets a weak ground out and a three-pitch strikeout to end the Xavier second.
- Hitt gets his second swinging strikeout to begin the inning.
Bottom 1
END 1: Alabama 0, Xavier 0
- Eisenhardt strikes out Denton, and Hamiter pops out to left field to retire the Alabama first.
- Tamez stays hot with a single to left with one out.
- Williamson is out in front of a breaking ball for the strikeout.
Top 1
MID 1: Alabama 0, Xavier 0
Hitt: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K on 17 pitches
- Hitt gets a fly out to Seidl in left to end the Xavier threat.
- A four-pitch walk is issued, and the bases are full.
- Back-to-back singles for Xavier, and Hitt has a two-out situation to work out of with runners on first and second.
- A swinging strikeout is followed up by a single up the middle from Xavier's Luke Franzoni, giving the Musketeers a two-out baserunner.
- Hitt's first pitch is sent toward right field, and Hamiter makes an impressive diving catch in foul ground for the day's first out.
- Alabama has taken the field, and we are set for first pitch.
Alabama Starting Lineup for Game Three vs Xavier
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Notes:
- Jim Jarvis batted in the nine spot for the first two games, but he has moved up to six in the lineup today. He is also back at shortstop after playing second base yesterday.
- Tommy Seidl is back in left field today after not playing in game two, moving Diodati back to the DH spot.
- Dominic Tamez hit two home runs in game one, and he had some loud outs yesterday. He's a player to watch for Alabama's offensive production out of the two spot in the lineup.
