| BSB/SB ⚾ Bama sweeps series vs. High Point with 4-2 Sunday win

Brandon Van de Graaff

A defensive deity, inventor of the Concussion.
Staff
Game 1 underway in Tuscaloosa. Both teams were scheduled to be in CA this weekend for games but the trips were canceled because of weather, so this series was agreed to. Bama is up 2-1 in the 3rd. Hitt on the mound for Bama... Guscette (transfer C) has a solo shot for Bama, his 3rd on the season (in 7 AB's).
 
It on SEC + Bama is leading 5-1 now. I wanted to watch the Girls and it also on SEC+. Tuscaloosa should be pack with both teams playing home games.
 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Consistent offense and a strong showing from the bullpen helped Alabama baseball secure a 9-4 victory over High Point on Friday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the win, the Crimson Tide is now 6-0 on the season.

Both teams got on the board with one run in the first. The Tide then took the lead with another tally in the second before a two-run top of the fourth put the Panthers back in front. Alabama answered again, scoring two apiece in the fourth and fifth to go with three in seventh for the series-opening win.

Alabama's offense totaled double-digit hits for a sixth straight game, finishing with 12 total by day's end. The bats were led by Ed Johnson, who homered twice and tallied a team-high five RBI to go with two runs scored. Mac Guscette also homered in the game, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Brock Blatter (1-0) picked up the first win of his career, entering out of the bullpen for 2.2 innings of one-run baseball. The freshman gave up two hits and walked one while striking out six in a row at one point – all swinging. Blatter was followed by Alton Davis II and Hunter Furtado, who combined to hold HPU scoreless over the final 2.2 innings.
 
Bama wins game 2, 10-6.

Ben Hess started and struggled... gave up 3 HR's and 6 runs in the 3rd. Bama pen shut them down after that. The Tide bats, despite a few hard hit balls, were held scoreless into the 5th when they scored 7. Williamson added a 3 run shot in the 8th.... his early season power display continues to be good news. Game 3 tomorrow at 1, going for the sweep.

 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Despite falling behind early, Alabama baseball continued to battle on the way to a 10-6 comeback victory over High Point on Saturday. The series-clinching win moved the Tide to 7-0 on the young season.

After a pair of scoreless innings to start, High Point got out front with a six-run third inning. The Crimson Tide was blanked in each of the next two frames before a seven-run fifth gave UA the advantage. Alabama maintained the lead from that point on, adding three more insurance runs in the eighth to secure the win.

Alabama's fifth was highlighted by a go-ahead three-run home run from Dominic Tamez with Drew Williamson adding a three-run homer in the seventh. Tamez finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored while Williamson matched him in RBI as part of a 2-for-5 showing that included two runs. Also highlighting the offensive stat sheet was Tommy Seidl, who reached base safely in all four plate appearances with four walks and two runs scored.

The Tide bullpen was solid once again. The trio of Connor Ball, Zane Probst and Braylon Myers kept the HPU offense at bay, limiting the Panthers to just three hits and three walks over the final 6.0 scoreless frames. Ball (1-0) picked up the win with 2.1 innings of relief while Myers earned his second save in as many chances. The sophomore worked the last 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out a pair.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon

"I'm really proud of our team on so many levels. The term I keep using with this group is 'maturity'. You can be down six, and a lot of times young players try to hit seven-run home runs and do too much, but our guys just kept playing. The bullpen was outstanding – Connor Ball, Zane Probst and Braylon Myers. We talk a lot about winning the middle of the game, and those guys came in to stabilize things for us. They gave our offense a chance and Dominic Tamez had the big home run to give us the lead, and then Drew Williamson had the dagger there in the eighth."

How It Happened​

  • T3 | The Panthers jumped out front with a six-run third that included three home runs. (6-0, High Point)
  • B5 | Alabama began the inning by loading the bases for Caden Rose. The junior reached on a fielder's choice, pushing a run across, before a fielder's choice from Andrew Pinckney added another tally. A single and a walk then loaded the bases for Bryce Eblin, who hit a grounder past second for a two-run single. Dominic Tamez followed, homering to left-center to put the Tide in front and cap the seven-run frame. (7-6, Alabama)
  • B8 | Drew Williamson widened the gap for the Tide, battling across an eight-pitch at-bat for the eventual three-run homer. (10-6, Alabama)

Postgame Notes​

  • All 10 of Alabama's runs came with two outs on Saturday.
  • The Crimson Tide bats finished 7-for-15 (.467) with two outs.
  • Alabama totaled 12 hits and has recorded double-digit hits in all seven games to start the season. The stretch matches the 2021 Tide from April 4-15, who also tallied double-digit hits in seven consecutive contests.
  • All nine starters reached base safely in the game.
  • Eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit.
  • Another eight of the nine starters tallied at least one run scored on the day.
  • Drew Williamson extended his hitting streak to eight games, dating back to May 28 of last season. Over that stretch, Williamson is batting .593 (16-27) with a double, five home runs, 14 RBI, 11 runs and eight walks.
  • Andrew Pinckney finished 1-for-5 and has recorded at least one hit in all seven games this season.
  • Caden Rose reached base safely in today's matchup and has now gotten aboard in 25 straight contests dating back to April 25 of last season.
  • Tommy Seidl finished with a career-high four walks in today's game. The four-walk performance was the first by a Tide hitter since Bryce Eblin drew four free passes against Samford on April 13, 2021.
  • ATTENDANCE: 3,347
Alabama will go for the series sweep on Sunday at The Joe. The Crimson Tide will send right-hander Jacob McNairy to the mound while the Panthers counter with Gus Hughes, also a righty. The weekend finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CT first pitch on SEC Network+.
 
Same question I had in the girls softball thread how do these 7 games look in terms of the quality of the competition? High Point does not jump of the page as a high quality opponent.
 
Same question I had in the girls softball thread how do these 7 games look in terms of the quality of the competition? High Point does not jump of the page as a high quality opponent.

High Point isn't good, but keep in mind it is an unscheduled series since Bama was supposed to play Pepperdine in CA this weekend. I've watched nearly every pitch up to this point, and it is a little hard to gauge how good they'll be. But, I've been very pleased with the hitting and the approaches at the plate. Jarvis hasn't gotten going yet, but he will, and that'll give a boost to run production at the top of the order. The biggest positives so far to me are the bats of Williamson (showing needed power) and transfer C Mac Guscutte (limited AB's but has hit really well). Should probably include Pinckney in that too since he's been awesome, but I had high expectations for him. True freshman 3B Colby Shelton started off slow but seems to be getting more comfortable at the plate now and his bat has picked up. C/DH Dominic Tomaz has had some big hits as well. With him not having to catch nearly as much this year, hopefully he can keep that going. They've got depth though, and some good bats that can come off the bench when needed.

Pitching has been more of a mixed bag. Bad news is, there's been some struggles with the starters. Hess struggled some yesterday, and while Hitt has looked solid, he's had come command issues. Good news is, it's February, and there is no reason for concern (even despite the level of competition). Looks like Bohannon is trying to find the arms right now that he can count on most in league play... a lot of guys have already logged relief innings. Easy to see some of the young guys have good stuff, but they are raw, some more than others.
 
Bama sweeps the series with a 4-2 win. McNairy started and threw well (5 innings). A bit of a hodgepodge lineup order that never really got into a groove, but scored 4 runs on 4 hits (also aided by 9 walks). Been really impressed with Kade Woods out of the pen so far this year... he may have staked his claim already as a setup man on the back end of the pen. If Riley Quick can't settle into the closer's role, he may end up taking that... he certainly has the stuff. Quick did close it out day.

 
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