NO-maha: Alabama Sent Packing From CWS Following Ugly Texas Loss

The Crimson Tide’s time in Omaha has come to a close following a second-straight humiliating loss to an SEC opponent.

Jun 14, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide designated hitter John Lemm (33) hits a home run against the Texas Longhorns during the fourth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

OMAHA, Neb. — The look in the eyes and faces of the Alabama Crimson Tide in the build-up to their do-or-die game against the Texas Longhorns didn’t look like one that was ready to bounce back and beat the Texas Longhorns. They lost 14-2. 

What everyone saw on paper and the scoreboard on Saturday and Monday is exactly what happened. Alabama was embarrassed in its two games in its first College World Series appearance since 1999. 

That should leave a bad taste in some people's mouths. 

The first two innings of the Monday afternoon routing reflected the lack of energy and excitement in the dugout prior to 1 p.m. A 7-1 deficit after the second inning ended up being a brutal hole that the Crimson Tide couldn’t climb out of, even with some offensive pop in the innings to follow.

"We knew our season was kind of on the line, so we kind of had to bring the most energy we've had all year," senior third baseman Jason Torres old reporters. "We were trying to keep playing baseball here, so that's what we're trying to do. Didn't go out in the first few innings how we wanted to, but I feel like the energy was going good into the game."

Zane Adams didn’t last two innings before getting pulled by head coach Rob Vaughn. He allowed seven runs and hits, while only striking out two batters in 63 pitches. His seven earned runs were tied for the most in a single game in his career. 

While Adams was manning the mound, Ethan Mendoza and Adrian Rodriguez logged two hits apiece, accounting for six of the first seven runs. A left field single from Anthony Pack Jr. scored Casey Borba to account for the last one. 

Rodriguez had the hottest bat of anyone on Monday, going for a cycle for the third time ever in College World Series history. For the second game in Omaha for Alabama, an opposing batter went ballistic. That, among other glaringly obvious performances and stats, did not help its chances at a win or a respectable final score.  

"It's been well documented, I think that guy is one of the big heartbeats of that team," Rob Vaughn told reporters about Rodriguez. "He plays with a lot of energy. Obviously playing the biggest position on the field at shortstop. Kind of threw us for a loop."

After that two-inning barrage of runs, the storm weathered for the Crimson Tide until the bottom of the sixth inning. Matthew Heiberger, the replacement for Adams, didn’t allow a run until the sixth, which came from a home run to left field courtesy of Anthony Pack Jr. Those two RBI were the nail in the coffin for the Crimson Tide, despite two more runs coming later on from a separate Rodriguez homer. 

Alabama’s two runs came in the top of the second and fourth innings, starting with a Luke Vaughn single that scored John Lemm and, later on, a solo shot to right center field from Lemm. 

Lemm was, by far, the most consistent offensive player for the Crimson Tide. Against Texas, Lemm went 1-for-3, with one hit, 1 RBI and two runs. He was walked once, as well. 

Brady Neal and Justin Lebron had their struggles carry over from the weekend, with Neal going 0-for-4 and Lebron 1-for-3. Neal went without a hit in the College World Series. 

A small positive from Alabama’s defeat started in the bottom of the seventh inning and finished out the game. Freshman pitcher Myles Upchurch, a righty with plenty of upside as a young player, rode out the last two innings for the Crimson Tide. He went for 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and three runs. Upchurch tacked on one strikeout in 27 pitches, 19 of which were strikes.

"Forever indebted to the 2026 Alabama baseball team," Vaughn said. "And I challenge those young pups out there. The foundation's been laid. It's their job to get us back."

With the loss, Alabama’s time in the College World Series has come to a close. They went 0-2 in that time, scoring only two runs in the process. Despite it being a historic trip to Omaha, the Crimson Tide left with nothing to show for it. They were the second team to be eliminated from the CWS, following Ole Miss on Sunday.

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