Alabama Baseball Hammers Missouri with Home Runs, Closes Out Series Sweep

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— A barrage of home runs led the way for the No. 18 Alabama baseball team in its 12-1 win over Missouri on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide (35-10, 12-9 SEC) triumphed in seven innings, finishing up a sweep in its first SEC series win of April.

"It felt like we've been waiting on that game for about three weeks," Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn said. "That was the first time I think we kind of played all phases at a high level in quite some time... Felt good to kinda put a game together."

Left-handed hurler Zane Adams pitched the entire game, working seven innings on 86 total pitches. His only blemish was a solo home run by Missouri catcher Mateo Serna in the top of the third inning.

In the case of the aforementioned home runs, three of them were hit during an eight-run outburst in the bottom of the second inning. Incredibly, all the runs were scored with nobody out. First baseman Will Hodo, third baseman Jason Torres and right fielder Bryce Fowler contributed the second-inning home runs.

"They just freaking, they killed their spirits today, I think, in that second inning" Adams said. "It's a lot easier to pitch against bats that feel down and like they're already out of the game."

Torres' home run was his second in two games, and 10th this season, after a late solo shot in Friday's contest. He's been struggling at the plate but seemed to turn it around against the Tigers (13-30, 0-21 SEC).

"That's what professional players do, man. They just stay in the fight and keep coming," Vaughn said. "There's something to be said for the guy that just keeps showing up, keeps working, just competes an at-bat at a time."

Hodo hit four home runs this week, starting with the midweek win at Samford, putting himself in a position to be considered for SEC Player of the Week. His second home run Saturday was a solo to center in the fourth inning. He's up to 12 this season.

"That second homer he hit wasn't a bad pitch," Vaughn said. "His hands just flew to that thing, and he got the barrel to it. Really good weekend out of Doe... I thought up and down the lineup, we were really aggressive."

Alabama had 15 hits for the first time since March 11 at UAB. Five starters had multiple hits. Left fielder Kade Snell and center fielder Richie Bonomolo Jr. had two RBIs each, as did Fowler. Hodo tallied four. Catcher Brady Neal and Torres had one apiece.

Vaughn praised Fowler's at-bats, as well as the recent approach by Neal. Fowler has recently moved back into the leadoff spot, where he started the season and spent a lot of time (including during SEC play).

"The homer was huge for us," Vaughn said. "He belongs up there. We're at our best when Bryce Fowler's hitting at the top of the order. He's got the swagger. He's got the toughness. He's got all the stuff I want at the top."

Regarding his catcher, Vaughn has been impressed with how Neal overcame a slow offensive start to the season and settled back into his role.

"He's having elite-level at-bats," Vaughn said of Neal. "Not to mention, he's caught every game for the last three weeks. Makes these guys [pitchers] look really good. He's as good as it gets back there, receiving the baseball, throwing the baseball."

Adams tied the longest start of the season for a Crimson Tide pitcher a week after being moved down in the weekend rotation. He pitched well at LSU last weekend in a win, and even better on Saturday.

"I think it was good for me just to get my confidence up," Adams said. "I was able to attack them, get ahead early, and get some early outs... I knew I just had to go out there and stay in attack mode."

Missouri starter Sam Horn was hit with the loss. He and Tony Neubeck, who followed him after the former was removed in the top of the second, both wound up with five runs on their respective ledgers. The Tigers had five hits in the game, including Serna's home run.

The Crimson Tide does not have a midweek on the docket for the coming days. The team's next game will be next Friday, in the opener of a road series against No. 9 Vanderbilt in Nashville.

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