No. 16 Alabama Baseball Comes Back to Beat UAB in Extra Innings, Remains Undefeated
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The No. 16 Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team beat the UAB Blazers 9-7 in extra innings on Wednesday night at Regions Field to stay undefeated on the year.
"We played elite from behind," said Alabama baseball head coach Rob Vaughn. "I didn't think there was any panic in the dugout, anybody's gripping it too tight, just kind of went out there and played baseball, and that ended up, obviously, working out in our favor there."
In his second collegiate start, left-handed pitcher Zane Adams took the mound for the Crimson Tide. During his three-inning outing, Adams allowed seven hits, four runs, only one earned, and one walk.
The weather conditions and fielding miscues were the main factors in midweek contest for both teams and became impactful from the get-go as Blazers designated hitter Brayton Brown hit an RBI double to put UAB on the board first on a ball that bounced off left field and would’ve been out of the park if not for the wind.
In the second inning, UAB scored a hat trick of runs off of Alabama miscues. The first was a mishandled ball by Alabama pitcher Zane Adams and the other two off an error by Bryce Eblin. Shortstop Justin Lebron also had an error, his first on the season.
The Crimson Tide came back in the back half of the game and scored six unanswered runs. Bryce Eblin put Alabama on the board with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, TJ McCants tied up the game with a two-run homer in the seventh, and Mac Guscette put the team in front with an RBI single in the eighth. Mason Swinney hit a single in the previous at-bat and advanced to third on an error by UAB center fielder Daryll Buggs. Gage Miller gave the Crimson Tide extra run support with an RBI single.
The Blazers forced the game into extra innings after the team scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Gavin Lewis Jr., hit a solo home run and pinch hitter Peyton Puckett grounded out to first, bringing in a run from third base.
The Crimson Tide tacked on three runs in the top of the tenth from RBI singles by Miller and Ian Petrutz. Miller also scored on a wild pitch.
UAB added a final run to the scoreboard on a groundout in the bottom of the tenth, but was not able to complete a second comeback.
Relief pitchers Tyler Fay, Alton Davis, and Matthew Heiberger made appearances out of the bullpen and allowed six hits, three runs, three walks, and nine strikeouts.
How it Happened:
- A strikeout ends the game and Alabama wins 9-7 in ten innings
- UAB scores another run on an RBI groundout. Alabama 9, UAB 7.
- Gage Miller and Ian Petrutz hit RBI singles in the top of the tenth inning. Alabama 8, UAB 6.
- UAB pinch hitter Peyton Puckett grounds out to first, bringing in a run. Alabama 6, UAB 6. The game is going into extra innings.
- Matthew Heiberger comes into the game in relief of Alton Davis. UAB has two in scoring position with one out.
- Alabama strands two on base in the top of the ninth.
- UAB's Gary Lewis Jr., hits a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Alabama 6, UAB 5.
- Gage Miller hits an RBI single to give the Crimson Tide some run support. Alabama 6, UAB 4.
- Mason Swinney hits a one-out single and advances to third on a fielding error by UAB's center fielder. Mac Guscette follows it up with an RBI single to put Alabama on top 5-4.
- Collin Patterson comes in to pitch for UAB.
- Davis II strands the bases loaded. On to the top of the eighth with Sleight due up. 4-4.
- Fay comes out of the game with two on and two out in B7. His teammates have left the dugout to receive him. In comes Alton Davis II.
- Tyler Fay is back out to pitch the seventh. He's got 29 pitches in three innings of work.
- Alabama ties the game in T7 with a TJ McCants home run. He's hit in all nine games. Opposite field shot. 4-4. Stretch time.
- UAB goes down in order in the sixth with three consecutive ground outs.
- Mason Swinney hits a two-out double, but gets stranded there with a pop up by Mac Guscette.
- No score for UAB in the bottom of the fifth despite some traffic. Fay is pitching well for Alabama.
- Alabama gets two runs back in the top of the fifth with a long home run to right by Bryce Eblin. 4-2, UAB.
- UAB goes down in order in the bottom of the fourth with two strikeouts and a groundout.
- Tyler Fay is in to pitch in relief of Adams.
- TJ McCants gets hit by a pitch in the first at-bat of the top of the fourth and advances to third, but three straight ground outs end the top of the inning. UAB 4, Alabama 0.
- Only one hit for UAB in the bottom of the third. The runner is stranded in scoring position. Still a ways to go in the game, but the Crimson Tide has nothing going offensively.
- Alabama gets its first baserunner in T3 after Justin Lebron is hit by a pitch, but nothing else doing. Crimson Tide off the board through three offensive frames.
- The Blazers bring in two more runs on an error by Bryce Eblin. UAB 4, Alabama 0. A double play ends the inning.
- UAB center fielder Daryll Buggs hits a single, bringing in Alex Cheeseman from third. UAB 2, Alabama 0.
- Alabama goes down in order again in the top of the second. Will Hodo grounded out, Evan Sleight struck out after a long at-bat and a near home run that went just foul down the right field line, and Mason Swinney grounded out. UAB 1, Alabama 0.
- UAB gets on the board first with a four-hit first inning. A key double play saved another run. 1-0, Blazers, with runners stranded on the corners. Hodo leads off T2 for Alabama.
- Alabama goes away in order in the top of the first with two flyouts. In comes Zane Adams, backed by the Crimson Tide defense.
- UAB order: Darryl Buggs, center field; Logan Braunschweig, left field; Tyler Harrington, third base; Brayton Brown, designated hitter; Reed Latimer, right field; Jake Smallwood, catcher; Nick Martinez; first base; Alex Cheeseman, second base; Gavin Lewis Jr., shortstop; P: Braxton Shelton, RHP
- Alabama batting order: Gage Miller, third base; TJ McCants, center field; Ian Petrutz, left field; Will Hodo, first base; Evan Sleight, right field; Mason Swinney, designated hitter; Mac Guscette, catcher; Bryce Eblin, second base; Justin Lebron, shortstop; P: Zane Adams, LHP
- For the third consecutive game, Alabama is in crimson jersey tops. White pants despite it being, more or less, a true road game.
