Why Coleman Mizell Was Unsure of His Game-Winning Home Run vs. Missouri Off the Bat

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Tuning out noise is an invaluable skill for a high-level athlete. Alabama designated hitter Coleman Mizell is different than most, though, in that it's his choice whether to have that be a concept or a reality. He can tune the noise out literally.

Mizell, who hit the game-winning home run in the No. 18 Crimson Tide's 7-5 win over unranked Missouri on Thursday, has hearing aids. He was asked postgame if he knew the ball he connected on was going to leave the ballpark, and shared a laugh with head coach Rob Vaughn as he answered.

"One of the things about me is, I can't hear anything," Mizell quipped. "I got these hearing aids here, and I don't like to hit with them, any volume on."

It just so happened that there was a lot of bustle in the crowd at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in that moment. It was the bottom of the eighth in a tied SEC game, with two outs in the inning, and the Crimson Tide's nine-hole hitter had worked the count full against Tigers reliever PJ Green.

"That was a really cool moment for him," Vaughn said. "Big time swing for us." The two-run home run, one of three hit by the team on the night, electrified the crowd as an elated Mizell rounded the bases and reconvened with his ecstatic teammates.

Alabama (33-10, 10-9 SEC) held onto the lead Mizell acquired with his fifth home run of the campaign. Off the bat, it sounded like it had more than just a puncher's chance to make it home run distance. The sophomore's strength and power are some of his preeminent attributes. His nickname? Bull.

"I didn't know if I hit it great or not," Mizell said. "I just tried to put a good swing on it. Well, I guess I did."

The Crimson Tide came all the way back from a five-run deficit in the first inning to win the ball game and secure a 1-0 series advantage. Just before Mizell's turn at the dish in what would become the winning plate appearance, second baseman Garrett Staton (who also hit a home run in the game, tying it 5-5 in the sixth) grounded into a double play.

"I looked at [Mizell], I walked over there, I said 'There's gonna be two outs, and you're gonna get a big hit,'" Vaughn said. "I didn't think it was gonna go over the fence. I meant more like a line drive to center. But that's what we do. We pick each other up. G-Stat was the hero there in, whatever that was, the fifth or the sixth, and Bull got to be the hero late, which was awesome."

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