Tyler Fay's Masterclass Has Alabama One Win Away From College World Series

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Seventh-seeded Alabama baseball got the Tuscaloosa Super Regional started with a dominant 8-0 victory over St. John's on Saturday night, putting the Crimson Tide one win away from the program's first trip to the College World Series since 1999.

Alabama starting pitcher, Tyler Fay, set the tone in front of a packed house as the Tuscaloosa hosted the Super Regional round for the first time since 2006. Fay stirred the sold-out home crowd into a frenzy by striking out the first three batters in the game one contest, setting the stage for what was to unfold.

"I was a little bit more juiced up than normal," Fay said. "So the stuff was ticked up a little bit, but just trying to execute each pitch and not really do too much more than that."

Fay handled the Red Storm offense all evening long, limiting St. John's to five baserunners in his 7.1 innings of action. Fay fanned nine batters, posting zero after zero and staying under control throughout the evening. He allowed two hits and walked three batters, and walked off the mound to adulation as he secured a crucial game one win for Alabama.

"We looked up in about the fifth and Mo [Mike Morrison] looked at me and said 'Gah lee, man, I'm glad we made that trip to Nebraska to talk to him this summer to get him back'," Rob Vaughn said. "What a neat moment when he walked off the field and he can talk more about that. Just the crowd chanting your name. That's something you dream about and you had 7,500 people doing that tonight. Incredible job by him."

The Red Storm's biggest threat came in the seventh inning as Adam Agresti opened the inning by drawing his second walk of the frame. Will Cowan followed up with the second hit of the game, putting men on first and second, then Ayden Frey leaned into a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Fay responded by forcing Cristian Bernardini to pop out, striking out Rob Mansour and Dylan Fitzsimmons to fly out, stranding three runners and preserving his scoreless outing.

"I don't really remember what was said, but like I said before, just keep executing pitches," Fay said. "Got to be a little bit finer in moments like that because mistakes could be two or three runs, whatever it is. Just trying to go right at people and trust my stuff and execute each pitch."

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Crimson Tide designated hitter John Lemm served as Alabama's offensive catalyst as the Australian got on base and subsequently scored on each of his first two at-bats. Lemm, in the designated hitter role after breaking a finger in last week's regional, poked a single up the middle in the second inning and hustled from first to third as Eric Hines chopped a single into the outfield. Lemm's hustle forced a St. John's throw to third, advancing Hines to second on the throw. Brennan Holt stepped up, opening the scoring with a double into right field as the home crowd exploded into pandemonium.

The bottom end of the order struck again in the fourth inning for Alabama as Lemm opened the frame, drawing a walk. Holt moved him along with a one-out single, and Luke Vaughn loaded up the bases, drawing a six-pitch, full-count walk. Peyton Steele, playing with a tender quad after tweaking it last week, stayed patient in the batter's box and drew a bases-loaded walk to score Lemm for the second time on the night.

"Last weekend I hit a bunch of balls in the air, you can ask Coach Vaughn about that," Holt said after his two-hit, two-RBI day. "This week I really just want to emphasize going back to who I am. Just trying to hit the ball low and hard and let the defense try to make a play."

Alabama centerfielder Bryce Fowler broke the game open on the next at-bat as he senior roped a double just past Shaun McMillan at first base, scoring Holt and Vaughn. Justin Lebron got plunked, reloading the bases, then Brady Neal drew a bases-loaded walk for the fourth run of the inning.

The Crimson Tide turned to Ashton Crowther in the eighth inning and picked up right where Fay left off. The left-handed reliever went the final 1.2 innings, giving up one walk as the Red Storm offense was stymied.

The Crimson Tide added insurance in the eighth inning as Vaughn reached safely on an errant throw to kick-start the frame. Bryce Fowler got hit in the arm, putting two men on base, setting Lebron up for the backbreaker. Alabama's superstar shortstop ripped a double into the right-centerfield gap for two RBIs, giving the home team a commanding 8-0 lead.

The victory becomes Alabama's first Super Regional win since defeating Clemson in the round in 2010 and puts the program one victory away from returning to Omaha for the first time since the turn of the century.

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