Instant Analysis: Alabama Baseball Shuts Out Manhattan College in Season Opener
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team secured its first win of the 2024 season with a 4-0 victory against Manhattan College at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Junior right-handed pitcher Ben Hess took the mound for the Crimson Tide and had a nearly flawless performance, pitching 4.0 innings, striking out nine batters, walking two, and allowing only one hit. Hess was credited with the win.
Right-handed pitchers Hagan Banks and Braylon Myers also made appearances in the shut out. Banks pitched 2.2 innings, struck out five batters, walked one, and allowed one hit. Myers pitched the remainder of the game, recording one strikeout and one walk.
As a whole, the pitching rotation struck out 15 batters, walked four, and allowed only two hits.
Center fielder TJ McCants was the star of the evening offensively, recording two hits and accounting for half of the Crimson Tide's total runs.
Left fielder Ian Petrutz, right fielder Evan Sleight, and first baseman Will Hodo all batted runs in, while Petrutz and leadoff hitter Gage Miller accounted for the Crimson Tide's other two runs.
Alabama may have played small ball, however the team's ability to execute and lack of miscues is what put the team over the top. For the bats, the Crimson Tide struck out a total of seven times and stole three bases. In the field, the team did not commit a single error.
Game 2 of the series will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. CT. Keep up with BamaCentral for continuous coverage of the Crimson Tide's opening weekend.
