Live Updates: No. 12 Alabama Baseball vs. No. 1 Tennessee, Game 3

After trailing by five runs through the first two innings, Alabama's comeback effort came up short last night after Tennessee was able to work around a ninth-inning rally that brought the tying run to the plate with just one out.

The loss for the Crimson Tide knotted up the weekend series at a game a piece and handed the team its first conference loss of the season. The team did show a lot of toughness after falling behind 5-0, Alabama was able to close the gap to two runs in the seventh with some clutch RBIs and strong bullpen performances from J.T. Blackwood and Austin Morris.

In the end, the rough start from right-hand starter, Riley Quick, was too much to overcome. It was Quick's worst start yet, giving up hard contact and throwing lower velocity than he has all season. Alabama's head coach, Rob Vaughn, revealed after the game that Quick was affected by a blood-blister on his throwing hand, impacting his spin rates and velocity.

Right hand starter, Bobby Alcock (3-0, 3.60 ERA) gets the ball fresh off of being named SEC Pitcher of the Week after his seven-shutout inning performance last Sunday in College Station. Sunday starter was a question mark coming into this year, but if Alcock can make last Sunday a habit, the Crimson Tide's pitching staff becomes all the more dangerous.

For Tennessee, right-hander, Tegun Kuhnz (2-0, 1.08 ERA) makes his sixth start of the season. It's been a short leash for the freshman so far this season. His longest start to date was last Sunday against the Florida Gators where he went 2.2 innings allowing just one hit and no runs, and his highest pitch count of the year is 37 in an earlier appearance.

Winner of this afternoon's game will move to 4-1 in SEC play and win its second straight series to begin SEC play. The early season stakes do not get much higher than this.

Starting Lineups:

Alabama:

1. RF Bryce Fowler

2. SS Justin Lebron

3. DH Coleman Mizell

4. 3B Jason Torres

5. 1B Will Hodo

6. 2B Brennen Norton

7. LF Kade Snell

8. C Will Plattner

9. CF Richie Bonomolo Jr

SP: RHP Bobby Alcock (3-0, 3.60 ERA)

Tennessee:

1. 3B Dean Curley

2. LF Jay Abernathy

3. CF Hunter Ensley

4. 1B Andrew Fischer

5. DH Dalton Bargo

6. RF Reese Chapman

7. 2B Manny Marin

8. C Cannon Peebles

9. SS Ariel Antigua

SP: RHP Tegan Kuhns (2-0, 1.08 ERA)

Game Start: 1 p.m. CT

Bottom 9th: A two-out walk from Norton is follow by a Snell single to put a runner in scoring position, and Plattner would bring a run around, but the rally would end there. FINAL: Tennessee 9, Alabama 2.

Top 9th: After Antigua led the inning off with a double, right-hander, Aidan Finateri, works around it to end the inning with no further damage from the Volunteers. 9-1 Tennessee.

Bottom 8th: Bonomolo leads off with a double, and he comes around to score after Lebron hits a rocket that is knocked down by Krenzel for an out. RBI number 50 for Justin Lebron which grows his lead over the rest of the country. 9-1 Tennessee.

Top 8th: Buchanan sits the Volunteers down in order to prevent the threat of a run rule. 9-0 Tennessee.

Bottom 7th: Alabama goes down one-two-three yet again, and the score remains unchanged. 9-0 Tennessee.

Top 7th: Leadoff single for Tennessee comes across to score with a two-out RBI single from shortstop, Ariel Antigua, to add another for Tennessee. Another two-out hit followed by a walk loads the bases for the Volunteers, and center-fielder, Hunter Ensley clears the bases with a double to grow the Tennessee lead to nine. 9-0 Tennessee.

Bottom 6th: Bad luck for Fowler, hitting a screamer off the cleat of Krenzel right to Manny Marin at second to leadoff the inning is followed by a third Lebron strikeout. Mizell and Torres hit back-to-back two out singles, but Hodo punches out to end the threat. Score remains 5-0 Tennessee.

Top 6th: RHP Hagen Banks comes in for Meyers, and works around a two-out walk, fanning Bargo to end the inning with no damage. The first time the Tennessee designated hitter has been retired this series.

Bottom 5th: A leadoff walk and a one-out single put runners on the corners and gave the Crimson Tide its first base-traffic of the afternoon. After giving up his first hit, Tennessee pull Kuhns after 5.1 innings and 71 pitches. Right hander, Brayden Krenzel, came in, and struck out and flew out the next two Alabama batters to end the threat. 5-0 Tennessee.

Top 5th: The Volunteers led off the inning with their third solo-shot, this time off the bat of Reese Chapman to make it 5-0, and add a run for the fourth straight inning for Tennessee. Ensuing at bat singles to get a base runner with no outs, but Meyers works around it to limit damage. 5-0 Tennessee.

Bottom 4th: Alabama, finally, gets a baserunner after a two-out walk from Mizell, but he is stranded after a Torres flyout. Kuhns still coasting as score remains unchanged.

Top 4th: After a pair of singles to lead off the inning, a sac-bunt attempt from Abernathy moves the runners then scores a run after the throw from Heiberger to first gets away. Bama challenges for baserunner interference, call reverses, batters return and run doesn't score. RHP Braylon Myers replaces Heiberger with runners on first and second, and walks the bases loaded with two-outs, and then bounces a pitch pass Plattner to score another run. Inning ends with no further damage, but another Tennessee run scores, 4-0 Volunteers.

Bottom 3rd: Alabama goes down in order for the third straight inning. Kuhns reaches a season high in innings and pitches, getting through the Alabama lineup without a baserunner. No action in Tennessee bullpen as a result. 3-0 Tennessee.

Top 3rd: After a leadoff strikeout, Tennessee first baseman, Andrew Fischer, gets the crowd worked up with taking long pauses in between pitches and stepping out of the batters box. Fischer responds with another solo shot and Coach Vaughn confronts home plate umpire, Kevin Sweeney, resulting in him getting ejected. The emotion from the Alabama coach draws a roaring ovation from the home crowd, but is immediately silenced with another solo shot from designed hitter, Dalton Bargo. LHP Matt Heiberger takes over for Alcock and gets out of inning with no further damage. 3-0 Tennessee.

Bottom 2nd: Kuhns makes quick work of the Alabama batters, going one-two-three with another strikeout for the second straight inning.

Top 2nd: Designated hitter, Dalton Bargo, hurts the Crimson Tide again with a leadoff triple, and a sac-fly brings him home to put Tennessee on the board. Three straight ensuing walks loads the bases, but a fly out and strikeout against the one and two Tennessee batters limits the damage. 1-0 Tennessee leads.

Bottom 1st: Alabama sat down one-two-three, punching out twice against freshman RHP, Tegan Kuhns. Game remains scoreless.

Top 1st: After a leadoff base hit, Alcock gets a ground ball which Lebron converts into a 6-4-3 double play. Alcock pitches around two-out base hit, drawing a groundout to first, and securing the first shutout first inning of the series for the Crimson Tide. Game tied 0-0.

First pitch: 1:02 p.m.

Starting Lineups:

Alabama:

Tennessee:

Game Start: 1 p.m. CT

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