Long Ball Dooms Alabama Baseball in 8-1 Loss to NC State
It wasn't the start Alabama baseball was hoping for in its first NCAA Regional game since 2014.
Back-to-back solo home runs in the second inning from catcher Luca Tresh and outfielder Devonte Brown, followed by a two-run shot over the right-field wall by Tyler McDonough in the third propelled NC State to an 8-1 win over the Crimson Tide at J.C Love Field at Pat Patterson Park on the campus of Louisiana Tech on Friday afternoon.
The Wolfpack added three more runs in the fifth courtesy of a three-run homer off the bat of shortstop Jose Torres. Brown smoked another long ball over the left-field wall in the eighth off of Alabama reliever Brock Guffey for his second of the day.
"NC State came out and took it to us today," Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said postgame.
Crimson Tide junior right-hander Tyler Ras (7-4, 5.36 ERA) started on the mound and was credited with seven of NC State's runs after only throwing 4 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits, walking three batters and striking out two on 85 total pitches.
"We wouldn't be here without Tyler Ras but he wasn't as sharp today," Bohannon said. "He was behind in the count and didn't do as good of a job as he normally does of commanding his secondary stuff. He got in some fastball counts and that's a really physical lineup that's built for this ballpark. The ballpark played really offensively today...
"You aren't going to win a lot giving up five home runs, especially when you have three free-base runners in front of those home-run hitters and that's how you give up eight runs."
Senior right-hander William Freeman came on in relief of Ras and hurled 2 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball. He also walked two batters and struck out one.
Outfielder Jackson Tate provided Alabama's only offense of the day with an opposite-field home run to right field in the fifth. Right-fielder William Hamiter was also a bright spot, going 2-for-4 at the plate with a double.
"Really didn't do anything good enough to win today," Bohannon said. "Didn't execute pitches well enough and certainly didn't do enough with the bat. Honestly, just disappointed. It felt like our guys played like they were just glad to be here."
That homer was really Reid Johnston's (7-2, 4.18 ERA) worst pitch of the game as the NC State starter picked up the win after tossing eight innings, striking out seven batters and only allowing four hits on 98 total pitches.
Wolfpack freshman Chris Villaman came on in the ninth after Johnston walked Praytor and retired three straight batters to seal the seven-run victory.
All nine of NC State's hits were extra-base hits, the five home runs plus four doubles from Torres, designated hitter Terrell Tatum, first baseman Austin Murr and second baseman J.T Jarrett.
Alabama will now await the loser of Louisiana Tech and Rider in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m (CT) on ESPN3. Bohannon added that there is a strong likelihood junior right-hander Dylan Smith (1-9, 4.13 ERA) will start in that do-or-die contest.
"I will get with Coach [Jason] Jackson later. I was coming to the park planning to win today," Bohannon said. "It's tough you can't think about trying to win three games in two days but you do want to play to win it. Finishing second does you nothing so you don't want to leave here without one of your best starters pitching."
