Tyler Fay Impresses in First Start of Season, Emerges as Game Three Option

Rob Vaughn made a somewhat surprising decision going with the right-hander with no starts on the year but was proven right after an early hiccup.

Mar 30, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama pitcher Tyler Fay (8) pitches in relief at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in the final game of the weekend series. South Carolina held on for a 9-8 victory. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the first time this season, Alabama baseball head coach Rob Vaughn gave the ball to someone other than Bobby Alcock in game three of an SEC series, after the team had dropped three straight games he started.

Right-hander, Tyler Fay (0-0, 4.98 ERA) took the ball to make his first start of the season in a crucial rubber match against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The risk from Vaughn looked to be a disaster two batters in, as a leadoff single followed by a two-run shot put the Crimson Tide in another early hole for the third consecutive game. With an inexperienced starter on the mound, things were looking rough early on for Alabama, facing a 2-0 deficit before recording an out.

Instead, Fay responded by retiring 10 straight Mississippi State batters and leaving the game with the score 2-1, Bulldogs. Mississippi State eventually won 4-2.

"Fay was great," Vaughn said, "He was pretty dominant after (the home run). His pitch execution, he threw some really good cutters, some good sliders and was down in the zone with everything. Also threw really good changeups, I thought he was great."

In total, Fay ended up going 3.1 innings, with four strikeouts and 50 total pitches, all season highs. Even though it came in a losing effort, it was still an encouraging effort, as Vaughn searches for a game three starter.

The uncertainty in that role will continue into next week, as the Crimson Tide travels to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, to face the No. 3 LSU Tigers in Alex Box Stadium, one of the most difficult environments in all of college baseball.

Coach Vaughn declined to make a commitment ahead of next week.

"We'll see," he said. "We'll take a look at LSU and see what the matchup is, but he's definitely an option."

Just two of Alabama's eight wins against SEC opponents have been in starts by pitchers aside from Zane Adams and Riley Quick. Whether the team can get quality starts from pitchers behind the top two in the staff will be paramount in determining what the ceiling for this team is.

Cleaner first innings will be a significant factor in getting out of the slump the team has fallen into. In all three games this weekend, the Crimson Tide was down a run before its batters saw a pitch. It is also the third straight game three that this has been the case, and it has been a major reason for the team's 2-3 record in such games.

"Baseball is just a cruel sport at times," Vaughn said. "Seven times out of ten, Tyler Fay hangs that slider, and they take it, or they hit an infield fly ball, but they didn't."

The way Fay responded to the adversity he faced after giving up a home run is an encouraging sign that he can be capable in a starting role. Halfway through conference play, Vaughn will need to find someone whom he trusts in that role before it gets too late into the season.

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