Mizzou Central

Live Blog: No. 16 Missouri Baseball vs. No. 9 Alabama (SEC Tournament, Round One)

The Tigers take on the Crimson Tide with a trip to the second round on the line.

Theodore Fernandez

Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, home of the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament
Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, home of the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament / Missouri on SI

The SEC Tournament is upon us. Missouri enters Hoover as the No. 16 seed after going 3-27 in SEC play (16-38 overall). The Tigers face the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide (16-14). Alabama is ranked No. 23 in the nation with a 40-15 record on the season.

The Crimson Tide swept Missouri in a three-game series in April, winning 7-5, 7-3, and 12-1. The winner of this game will go on to play No. 8 Tennessee (41-15, 16-14) in the second round.

Missouri is playing for its season in every game at this tournament. The Tigers will not be playing in the NCAA Tournament unless they can go on a miraculous run and win the SEC title.

First pitch in Hoover is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. CT on SEC Network. Sam Horn, who is also a quarterback on the football team, will start for Missouri, while right-hander Tyler Fay gets the ball for the Crimson Tide.

Live Updates:

Latest updates will be at the top.

Final: Alabama 4, Missouri 1

Top 9:

Serna flies out to Snell to end the game. Alabama wins 4-1. The Tigers' 2025 season is over. Missouri stranded nine runners over the game's final four innings. Fay earns the win for Alabama, while Libbert is the losing pitcher. Ozmer gets the save for the Crimson Tide.

Hodo redeems himself for the error, making an exceptional catch on a line drive that looked like it was going to enter the outfield and score two runs. The Tigers are down to their final out with Serna back up.

The Tigers have loaded the bases. Seals reaches on a fielder's choice, and then Hodo commits an error on the throw to second. Nicoletto is up to bat.

Lovich is plunked, and the tying run is at the plate in Seals.

Patterson strikes out looking, but Daniels follows it up with a single to left field.

Carson Ozmer is entering the game for Alabama. The closer leads the nation in saves this season with 16.

Bottom 8:

Fowler grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

For the second time of the game, Seals is unable to make a diving catch. Norton hit a fly ball towards him, but again, Seals could not pull the ball in.

Staton flies out to center for the first out.

Neal takes the first pitch of the frame for ball one, fouls off the second pitch, and then takes Libbert to deep center field. It's just the catcher's third home run of the season. Alabama leads 4-1.

Top 8:

Peer flies out, and Missouri is down to its final three outs. The Tigers have stranded two runners in each of the last three innings.

Knutson singles up the middle for his first hit of the day, moving Serna into scoring position.

Macon flies out to left center and there are two outs.

Serna is hit by an inside pitch from Myers. He's reached base in three of his four at-bats now.

Nicoletto goes down looking. The first baseman is now 0-4 on the day. Myers has struck out his first two batters.

END 7: Alabama 3, Missouri 1

Bottom 7:

Torres flies out to center to end the inning.

Hodo hits a sac fly to left field. Snell comes in for Alabama's third run, while Bonomolo is held up at second.

Libbert throws a wild pitch, and both runners advance.

Bonomolo singles to left field, advancing Snell to second.

Snell hits into a fielder's choice. He just barely beat out the throw and is safe at first.

Lebron walks in five pitches. The sophomore has reached base in all four of his at-bats to start the morning.

Top 7:

Seals takes the first three pitches for balls. Myers recovers, throwing three consecutive strikes and getting Seals looking to get out of the jam. Missouri has now stranded five runners over the last three innings

Rob Vaughn is pulling Heiberger after just 0.2 innings. Right-hander Braylon Myers is entering the game.

Lovich records his second hit of the day, a single to center field. Daniels advances to third. Lovich started to go for second, but was held back.

Daniels is plunked with two outs and takes his base.

Patterson goes down swinging on a 1-2 pitch.

Peer hits a line drive right at Heiberger, who had to duck to avoid getting hit. It's a leadoff single for the Tigers, but Peer is thrown out trying to steal second moments later.

Matthew Heiberger takes over for Fay on the mound.

END 6: Alabama 2, Missouri 1

Bottom 6:

1-2-3 inning for the Tigers. Staton, Norton, and Fowler all go down promptly in a seven-pitch frame.

Top 6:

Knutson grounds it right to Fay for the final out.

Macon singles up the middle, moving Serna into scoring position.

Serna walks on four pitches.

Seals and Nicoletto go down for the first two outs.

END 5: Alabama 2, Missouri 1

Bottom 5:

Torres goes down swinging on a 3-2 pitch. Neal follows that up by popping up to end the innning

Hodo grounds out to short on an 0-2 pitch.

Top 5:

Lovich goes down swinging. That's five strikeouts now for Fay.

Patterson pops up, and Daniels fouls out on the first pitch he sees.

Peer steals second base, comfortably beating the throw.

Peer got checked out by the medical staff. He got pulled from a game last week after colliding with a wall and was listed as questionable for today's game.

Peer hits a leadoff single on a well-placed grounder through the right side. Norton fielded the ball bare-handed, but his throw to first was not in time.

END 4: Alabama 2, Missouri 1

Bottom 4:

Bonomolo hits into a fielder's choice, ending the inning

Snell puts Alabama ahead with a single to almost the exact same spot Lebron hit it to. Lebron is now at third.

Libbert throws ball one to Snell and then Serna visits him on the mound.

Lebron records his SEC-leading 70th RBI of the season on a single to left. Norton scores and Fowler moves to third.

Fowler walks, bringing Lebron up with a runner in scoring position.

Norton hits one just out of the reach of a diving Seals in right field. Seals got his glove on the ball but could not hang on for the catch as he hit the ground. Third hit of the game for the Crimson Tide.

Neal grounds out to short, and Staton goes down swinging on three pitches.

Left-hander Will Libbert is taking over on the mound for Horn.

Top 4:

Macon and Knutson are promptly put down to end the frame.

Serna just went yard. Hit it right down the right field line, and Missouri leads 1-0. The ball stayed fair by about a foot. It's his ninth homer of the year.

Nicoletto goes down swinging. It's Fay's fourth punchout of the game.

END 3: Missouri 0, Alabama 0

Bottom 3:

Torres goes down swinging on three pitches as Horn gets out of the jam.

Hodo walks on six pitches. The count was 1-2 before Horn threw three straight balls. Alabama has the bases loaded with Torres coming up.

Missouri is holding a mound visit.

Bonomolo walks on five pitches. He's seen just nine pitches in his two at-bats. He and Lebron have both been walked twice now, while Horn hasn't walked any other batter.

Hodo grounds out directly to Nicoletto at first. The throw to second was on time, but the tag was missed and Lebron advances.

Lebron checks his swing on a low 3-2 pitch and is rewarded with his second walk of the morning.

Fowler is thrown out trying to steal second after a high pitch to Lebron. The bases are now empty.

Fowler hits a single to left that drops just shy of a running Macon.

Top 3:

Lovich and Seals fly out. It's Missouri's first inning without a hit.

Brock Daniels gets a favorable 3-0 count, but Fay finds the zone and rallies to strike him out looking in seven pitches.

END 2: Missouri 0, Alabama 0

Bottom 2:

Garrett Staton and Brennen Norton fly out to end the inning.

Brady Neal singled to right field for Alabama's first hit of the game.

Jason Torres grounds out to short.

Top 2:

Lebron makes an excellent play at short, fielding a well-hit grounder from Chris Patterson and making the throw to first in time to end the frame.

Kaden Peer singles to left center. Two hits in two innings for the Tigers.

Tyler Macon grounds out to second, and Keegan Knutson flies out.

END 1: Missouri 0, Alabama 0

Bottom 1:

Sam Horn gets Will Hodo looking on a 1-2 pitch to end the inning.

Richie Bonomolo Jr. walks on four pitches. Snell is now in scoring position.

Kade Snell hits a hard chopper to first that is handled by Nicoletto. Lebron is thrown out at second, and Snell beats the throw by about a half-step.

Justin Lebron walks on six pitches.

Bryce Fowler grounds out to Lovich.

Top 1:

Tyler Fay mows through the next three Tigers' batters, striking out Pierre Seals, getting Cayden Nicoletto to fly out to left, and striking out Mateo Serna. Lovich is stranded.

Jackson Lovich opens with a leadoff single on the second pitch of the game.

Pregame:

Missouri’s lineup:

1. Jackson Lovich, shortstop

2. Pierre Seals, right field

3. Cayden Nicoletto, first base

4. Mateo Serna, catcher

5. Tyler Macon, left field

6. Keegan Knutson, second base

7. Kaden Peer, center field

8. Chris Patterson, third base

9. Brock Daniels, designated hitter

P: Sam Horn (RHP)

Alabama's lineup:

1. Bryce Fowler, right field

2. Justin Lebron, shortstop

3. Kade Snell, left field

4. Richie Bonomolo Jr., center field

5. Will Hodo, first base

6. Jason Torres, third base

7. Brady Neal, catcher

8. Garrett Staton, designated hitter

9. Brennen Norton, second base

P: Tyler Fay (RHP)

Published |Modified
Theodore Fernandez
THEODORE FERNANDEZ

Theodore Fernandez is an intern with BamaCentral and has covered every single University of Alabama sport across his time with The Crimson White and WVUA 23 News. He also works as the play-by-play broadcaster for Alabama’s ACHA hockey team and has interned for Fox Sports. Theodore is currently a sophomore at the University of Alabama majoring in News Media.

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