Alabama Relief Pitcher Tyler Fay Steels Crimson Tide On Way to Regions Field Win
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— Alabama and UAB can't play a boring baseball game, it seems.
Last season, the in-state programs' duel at Regions Field ended in a 4-3 Blazers win after 11 innings. This season, the script was flipped by No. 16 Alabama (9-0), which came back and fought off a late surge to win 9-7 in 10 innings on Tuesday.
One of the major players in the Crimson Tide's effort was Tyler Fay, a right-handed relief pitcher who was called upon after three unsuccessful (if relatively faultless) innings from midweek starter Zane Adams. Head coach Rob Vaughn went to the Nebraska native, who debuted on Feb. 18, to start the fourth inning. "That guy [Fay] came in and just stopped everything," Vaughn said.
Fay threw 3.2 high-leverage innings, entering with his team down 4-0 and hitless and leaving with two gone in the seventh inning and the game tied. He got the first two Alabama strikeouts of the game, and two of the three hits he surrendered came in his last frame. His efforts helped the Crimson Tide conquer a UAB team (3-5) that has had its number during recent seasons.
"I felt great. I felt like my arm was good, I was just keeping it low in the zone, and the guys behind me were doing their thing, making a lot of plays for me," Fay said. Some of those plays weren't made for Adams, for whom only one run of his four allowed was earned. "I knew our offense wasn't gonna stay dry for that long," said Fay. "I know they hit. I just wanted to keep the game close and see what they would do." He stranded two in the fifth after striking out two in the fourth. He induced three groundouts in the sixth, retiring the home batters in order.
Center fielder TJ McCants hit a two-run home run to opposite field in the top half of the seventh to tie the game. Fay had been efficient all night, and he went back out for another chance at the Blazers' hitters. The longest outing he'd pitched prior to Tuesday was two full innings (scoreless) on Feb. 23. However, Vaughn wasn't surprised with the righty's output. "That's who Tyler Fay needs to be," he said. "That's who he's capable of being... We've been talking to T-Fay like, 'You're such a good kid. You're such a nice kid. I want you to pitch mean. I want you to pitch with some attitude.'
"And he did tonight. It was, no fluster, this is what I do. Base hit through the infield, who cares? I'm gonna keep sinking it. Walk a guy? Who cares? I'm gonna keep sinking it." Vaughn went on to call Fay the story of the game. "Tyler Fay gave us a chance tonight."
Not many offenses finish with 16 hits despite being held out of the category through four innings. The bats have been clicking, but the bullpen has remained consistent. Fay corroborated that his sinker was working well. "I was pounding the sinker, low," he said. "I was trying to get a lot of ground balls. Like I said, the defense was doing their jobs." Attacking and getting ahead in counts were two main priorities he listed as ways the bullpen can continue its current form. When he exited, the game was knotted at four runs apiece. The offense hadn't had to get any more than the original deficit Fay inherited.
Alton Davis II and Matthew Heiberger came in after Fay. The latter stranded the winning UAB run 90 feet away in the ninth, giving the Crimson Tide a chance to go to extras tied at six and complete its comeback. It's all too likely that that comeback could not have taken shape if it weren't for the near-lockdown innings contributed by Fay, who said his confidence level has elevated following the most important collegiate appearance of his young career.
