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Live Updates As No. 8 Alabama Baseball Looks to Avoid a Sweep Against No. 22 Arkansas

The Crimson Tide has a new lineup with a sweep on the line on Sunday.
Theodore Fernandez|
Alabama pitcher Myles Upchurch walks off the mound in the third game of the series against Auburn on Mar. 29, 2026.
Alabama pitcher Myles Upchurch walks off the mound in the third game of the series against Auburn on Mar. 29, 2026. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama baseball has made profound changes to the lineup following Saturday's 15-6 loss to Arkansas.

Head coach Rob Vaughn, who had stuck with numerous players throughout various slumps this season, has rolled out a vastly different order for Sunday's game as the Crimson Tide looks to avoid being swept by the Razorbacks.

Justin Lebron drops out of the two-hole for the first time since the 2024 season. He'll bat cleanup, while previous nine-hole batter Brennan Holt, third on the team with a .458 on-base percentage, moves to second. Freshman Andrew Purdy gets the start at first over the struggling Luke Vaughn, while catcher John Lemm finally gets a day off.

Justin Osterhouse is back in the lineup at left field, while freshman Chase Kroberger moves to the other side with Brady Neal behind the plate. Rounding out the changes, Jason Torres drops from cleanup to the seven-hole.

Freshman Myles Upchurch is on the mound for the Crimson Tide today as Alabama looks to avoid getting swept at home. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and is available via radio on Tide 100.9 or The Varsity Network online. Follow along for live updates and analysis as Alabama looks to win its fourth straight series opener.

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FINAL: Arkansas 3, Alabama 2

Alabama's final stats
Alabama's final stats | BamaCentral

B9

Hines flies out to left. That will end the game and give Arkansas the sweep.

Lebron grounds out as well. Alabama is down to its last out.

Neal grounds out on the first pitch of the frame.

It's Neal, Lebron, and Hines due up for the bottom of the ninth. Couldn't ask for anything more if you're Rob Vaughn here.

T9 — Arkansas 3, Alabama 2

Peck draws a five-pitch walk.

Pompey, who homered in both previous games, flies out to Fowler.

Souza grounds out on the first pitch of the inning.

Crowther is remaining in the game.

B8 — Arkansas 3, Alabama 2

Rutenbar strikes out to end the frame.

McElvain strikes out the side. Fowler and Holt are put out, and Alabama is down to three outs.

Kroberger strikes out swinging for the first out.

Left-hander Ethan McElvain is taking over on the mound for the Razorbacks.

T8 — Arkansas 3, Alabama 2

Alabama loses the lead, but avoids further damage, as Lebron fields a grounder and gets to Vaughn on a hop for the third out.

Ruiz is hit by a 0-2 pitch. Matthew Heiberger and Hagan Banks are warming up.

Kozeal doubles down the right field line. The ball went past the glove of Vaughn at first, and Helfrick came around to score. Arkansas 3, Alabama 2

Helfrick steals second.

Helfrick walks on four pitches. Niu then flies out to Fowler at the warning track. Alabama is an out away from getting out of the eighth.

Rutenbar flies out for the first out.

B7 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 2

Osterhouse flies out. Alabama comes up empty.

Luke Vaughn pinch-hits for Purdy and strikes out for the second out. Torres then draws a walk to load the bases.

Hines strikes out swinging on a full count.

Lebron hits a big double to left to move Neal to third. Two on and nobody out for Alabama.

Leadoff single to right for Neal, bringing up Lebron.

T7 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 2

Massive response from Crowther, as pinch-hitter Alexander Peck grounds into a double-play to end the frame, keeping the game tied.

Crowther strikes out Pompey for the first out.

Souza singles up the middle past Lebron. Ruiz comes home to tie the game as Aloy moves to second. Alabama 2, Arkansas 2

Arkansas calls time with the count 0-2 on Souza.

Upchurch walks Aloy, and his day is done. Crowther is entering the game with two on and nobody out.

Ruiz hits a leadoff double to left. Ashton Crowther is warming up in the bullpen.

Upchurch is staying out for the seventh at 82 pitches.

B6 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 1

Holt flies out to end the inning.

Fowler singles through the right side to move Kroberger to third.

Osterhouse singles to second, beating the throw by a hair. He is replaced at first by Kroberger, who grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out.

Torres flies out to shallow right to start the frame.

Gabe Gaeckle is taking over on the mound for Arkansas.

T6 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 1

Kozeal grounds out to first to end the frame. Another solid inning from Upchurch despite the triple.

Helfrick comes home for Arkansas' first run of the game on a sac fly from Niu. Alabama 2, Arkansas 1

Helfrick triples to right-center field, the third hit of the day for Arkansas.

Rutenbar flies out to Osterhouse in left to start the inning.

B5 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 0

Purdy gets ahead 3-1 in the count, but then grounds out to strand the bases loaded.

Lebron is intentionally walked, to the fans' chagrin. Hines gets ahead 2-0, and he is then intentionally walked as well, loading the bases for Purdy.

Neal strikes out for the second out.

Holt bunts and reaches first safely. He then moves to second on an error.

Fowler strikes out to start the frame.

T5 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 0

Upchurch is having the best SEC start of his career. He's allowed just two hits with no free passes through five scoreless innings. He's struck out six and is at just 72 pitches.

Robinett flies out to end the frame.

Pompey picks up Arkansas' second hit of the day.

Upchurch is up to six strikeouts. He puts down Aloy and Souza to start the inning.

B4 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 0

Torres singles, but Osterhouse and Kroberger promptly go down to end the inning.

Purdy grounds out to start the frame.

T4 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 0

Ruiz makes solid contact, but Fowler was there in center field to make the catch and end another scoreless frame for Upchurch.

Kozeal grounds out to Holt for the second out.

Niu lines out to Lebron at short.

B3 — Alabama 2, Arkansas 0

Hines pops up to end the inning.

Holt is safe.

Lebron singles to left for his 30th RBI of the season. Holt slid into third on the play safely. Arkansas is challenging that he was out. Alabama 2, Arkansas 0

Neal flies out for the second out.

Holt walks on five pitches, moving Kroberger to second.

Fowler flies to the center for the first out.

Chase Kroberger reaches on a fielding error by Pompey at third.

T3 — Alabama 1, Arkansas 0

Holt turns a nice play at second to get Alabama out of the frame with two runners stranded.

Rutenbar flies out to left, moving Souza to third.

Reese Robinett pops up on a bunt that is caught by Upchurch for the first out.

Pompey, who has two homers this series, singles to left to move Souza to second.

Andrew Purdy is unable to corral a hard grounder hit at him. The error puts Nolan Souza on for Arkansas' first baserunner.

B2 — Alabama 1, Arkansas 0

Justin Osterhouse grounds into a double play to end the inning.

Jason Torres goes down looking for the first out.

Andrew Purdy brings Lebron home with a base hit of his own to right. Hines moves to second. Alabama 1, Arkansas 0

Eric Hines notches a base hit to right to bring Lebron to third.

Justin Lebron falls behind 1-2 and then shows nice discipline, taking three balls for a walk.

T2 — Alabama 0, Arkansas 0

Upchurch strikes out the side. He gets Kuhio Aloy looking to end the frame.

Upchurch faces his first full count of the day, but gets Damian Ruiz looking for his third strikeout.

Upchurch strikes out Camden Kozeal on a 2-2 pitch for the first out.

B1 — Alabama 0, Arkansas 0

Brady Neal pops up, ending a very fast first inning.

Bryce Fowler and Brennan Holt ground out consecutively for Alabama.

T1 — Alabama 0, Arkansas 0

1-2-3 inning for Upchurch. He strikes out Maika Niu to end the frame.

Justin Osterhouse makes a nice jumping catch in right field at the wall on a Ryder Helfrick fly ball for the second out.

Carter Rutenbar grounds out to start the game.

First pitch was 1:02 p.m.

Pregame:

Alabama is giving out Augusta Sunday t-shirts at today's game.

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Published | Modified
Theodore Fernandez
THEODORE FERNANDEZ

Theodore Fernandez is BamaCentral’s baseball beat reporter and a co-host of The Joe Gaither Show. He also works as a weekend sports anchor at WVUA 23 News in Tuscaloosa and serves as one of the station’s lead high school sports reporters. Fernandez is a news media student at The University of Alabama and is pursuing a master’s degree in sports management.

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