No. 20 Alabama Baseball Breezes Past High Point, 9-4

A trio of home runs powered the Crimson Tide past the Panthers on Friday afternoon.

Author:
Joey Blackwell
Updated:
Feb 24, 2023 7:16 PM EST
Original:
Feb 24, 2023

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A pair of home runs by second baseman Ed Johnson for No. 20 Alabama baseball made all the difference on Friday afternoon as the Crimson Tide downed the High Point Panthers, 9-4.

Alabama was originally scheduled to make a road trip out to Malibu, Calif., to play at Pepperdine this weekend. However, projected inclement weather forced the Crimson Tide to make a schedule change on Wednesday, opting instead for a three-game series with the Panthers this weekend.

"I thought that was a great game for us," Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said after the game. "[...] Really glad the game played out the way it did. It's not always going to be easy, but I really liked the feel in the dugout when we made some mistakes today and when we were behind."

High Point jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when a fielding error by Alabama first baseman Drew Williamson resulted in a run. However, the Crimson Tide responded in the bottom of the inning when designated hitter Dominic Tamez doubled to right-center field, bringing home shortstop Jim Jarvis.

In the bottom of the second, catcher Mac Guscette hit his third home run of the year — a solo shot to left field that gave Alabama a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Panthers brought in two more runs to once again take a one-run lead. With the bases loaded, Crimson Tide relief pitcher Brock Blatter hit High Point center fielder Javon Fields with a pitch to force a run across the plate. A bases-loaded single scored another run, putting the Panthers back ahead.

In the bottom of the inning, Alabama second baseman Johnson crushed a two-run home run off of the scoreboard in left field, catapulting the Crimson Tide back into a lead that they would not surrender for the remainder of the game. However, Johnson wasn’t finished just yet.

In the bottom of the seventh, Johnson once again smacked a home run. With two outs on the board and runners at the corners, Johnson hit a home run into the playground past the wall in left field and increasing the Crimson Tide’s lead to 9-4.

At the end of the game, the final scoreboard read the same: 9-4 in favor of the Crimson Tide. With the win, Alabama improves to 6-0 on the season while High Points falls to 3-2.

"It's going to get tougher as the season goes on, but just really pleased with the offense," Bohannon said. "A lot of contact up and down. We've got a nice balance of left and right, some athleticism and a lot of strength. Got a lot of older guys and they're doing a great job."

Blatter (1-0) was credited with the win on the mound for Alabama, while Sam Garcia (0-1) for High Point was saddled with the loss. The Crimson Tide will take on the Panthers once again on Saturday in Game 2 of the series (4 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).

How It Happened:

Final score: Alabama 9, High Point 4

Top 9

Furtado caught Cumbee looking. Ball game.

Stuart drew a four-pitch walk. Runners on first and second, two out for Cumbee.

Chatham singled to left. Two out, runner on first for Stuart.

Pallas flied out to left. Two out, and the Panthers are down to their final out.

Fields flied out to dead center. One out.

Hunter Furtado replaces Davis on the mound. Final line for Davis: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 26 TP, 18 ST.

Bottom 8

Portera grounded into a fielder's choice, Hodo out at second. Inning over.

Hodo dropped a ball into shallow left for a single. Pinckney advanced to third. Runners at the corners, two out for Will Portera.

Pinckney singled to second. Two out, Hodo digging in.

Will Hodo on deck for Alabama, pinch-hitting for Tamez.

Seidl struck out swinging. Two out.

Jarvis flied out to center field. One out.

New pitcher for the Panthers: CJ Neese.

Top 8

Davis struck out Melton swinging. Side retired in order.

Ahalt flied out to right. Two down.

Singsank popped out to third. One out.

Bottom 7

Rose struck out swinging. Inning over.

Williamson doubled down the left field line. Runner on second, two out for Rose.

Johnson hit a three-run home run into the playground in left field. 9-4 Alabama with two out.

An E4 results in Guscette being safe at first. Runners at the corners, two out for Johnson.

New pitcher for High Point: Patrick Libby.

Shelton fouled out to third. Two out, Pinckney on second.

Tamez grounded out to third. One out, Pinckney on second.

Pinckney singled through the left side. Nobody out for Tamez.

Top 7

Sutton grounded out to first. Side retired.

Another single puts runners on first and second with two out for Sutton.

Stuart singled to right field, scoring Pallas. 6-4 Alabama. Two out, runner on first for Cumbee.

Alton Davis II in to replace Blatter on the mound. Current line for Blatter: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 52 TP, 34 ST.

Pallas doubled to left field.

Blatter strikes out his sixth batter in a row. One out.

Bottom 6

Seidl grounded out to short. Inning over.

Jarvis grounded out to short. Two out.

Williamson singled to right-center field, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Rose to move him up 90 feet.

Top 6

Make that five after Blatter struck out the side.

Blatter's strikeout count is up to four after back-to-back swinging strikeouts. Two out.

Bottom 5

A solid catch by the Panthers third baseman prevents the Crimson Tide from adding to its lead. Inning over.

Guscette reached first on a throwing error by the third baseman. Runners on first and second, two out for Johnson.

Pitching change for the Panthers. New pitcher: Sean Duffy.

Shelton dropped a ball into shallow center field for a single. Seidl scored from third. 6-3 Alabama.

Tamez grounded out into a double play, but another run crosses the plate for Alabama. 5-3 Crimson Tide. Runner on third, two out for Shelton.

A little delay in the action as the Panthers head coach has a discussion with the third base umpire about the call at third.

Pinckney is safe at first on a fielder's choice. The third baseman fielded the ball, but missed Jarvis on the tag at third. All runners safe. Bases loaded, nobody out for Tamez.

Seidl drew a walk. That puts runners on first and second, still nobody out for Pinckney. That'll warrant a mound visit for the Panthers.

A leadoff, infield single by Jarvis puts a runner on first for the Crimson Tide.

Top 5

Make that two swinging strikeouts, and the side is retired in order.

Blatter gets his first strikeout of the game. Two out following the K and a groundout by Stuart.

Bottom 4

Rose grounded out to third. Inning over.

Williamson struck out looking. Two out.

Ed Johnson blasted a two-run home run off of the scoreboard in left. Alabama retakes the lead, 4-3.

Guscette flied out to the warning track in right. One out, runner on first for Johnson.

Shelton drew a leadoff walk and Guscette will dig in.

Top 4

Jarvis made a remarkable high-flying catch to prevent the Panthers from building on their lead. With that, we head to the bottom of the inning.

Pallas singled to short, and another run scored. 3-2 High Point.

Blatter hit Fields with the pitch, forcing a run home. 2-2 tie. Bases still loaded, two out.

Blatter walked Melton, loading the bases for Fields with two out.

Final line for Hitt: 3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 K, 68 TP, 40 ST.

Hitt's day is done. Now pitching for the Crimson Tide: Brock Blatter.

Ahalt lined out to left field. Two out, runners on first and second for Melton.

Hitt struck out Singsank for the first out of the inning.

Sutton hit by pitch, and the Panthers now have runners on first and second with nobody out. Brock Blatter warming up in the bullpen for Alabama.

Cumbee walked, then appeared to be picked off by Hitt not once, but twice at first base. The umpire ruled that he was safe both times, no review.

Bottom 3

Tamez grounded out to short, and the inning is over.

Pinckney flied out to center. Two out.

Seidl flied out to deep center. One out.

Top 3

Hitt's third batter caught looking ends the side. That's five Ks in 3.0 IP.

Another swinging strikeout for Hitt. Two away.

Pallas flied out to right. One out.

Bottom 2

Johnson fouled out, Williamson flied out, Rose walked and Jarvis grounded out to end the inning.

Mac Guscette blasts a home run into the Alabama bullpen in left-center field. 2-1 Alabama. That's his third home run of the season.

Top 2

Hitt catches his second batter looking of the inning. Side retired.

Back-to-back walks puts runners on first and second with two out.

Bottom 1

Shelton struck out swinging, and the inning is over.

Tamez doubled off of the wall in right, just over the fielder's outstretched glove. Jarvis scored. 1-1 tie with two out, runner at second for Shelton.

Pinckney chopped a ball to short, thrown out at first. Jarvis advanced to third. Two out, runner on third for Tamez.

Seidl flied out to the warning track in right field. Jarvis was able to advance to second on the throw. Runner on second, one out for Pinckney.

Jarvis drew a leadoff walk. Runner on first, nobody out for Seidl.

Top 1

A 5-3 double play ends the side, but the Panthers are on the board first.

Williamson dropped a liner down the foul line that would have turned into a double play and is charged with an error. Chatham instead singled, with Chatham advancing to second and Pallas crossing the plate. 1-0 High Point.

Chatham singles into right, Pallas reached third. Runners at the corners, one out for Stuart.

Hitt picks up his first strikeout, retiring leadoff batter Fields.

Hitt's first pitch is outside for a ball, and we are underway here at The Joe.

Pregame

Starting lineup for the Crimson Tide:

Starting lineup for the Panthers:

Umpires for today's game:

HP: Guss Curtis
1B: Ray Gregson
2B: Nathan Huber
3B: Eddie Loggins

Current weather conditions at Sewell-Thomas Stadium: cloudy with temperatures hovering in the high 50s Fahrenheit, 85 percent humidity, 15 percent chance of rain, winds blowing 9 m.p.h. south-southwest.