| BSB/SB ⚾ Eighth-Inning Rally Pushes Bama Past No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3

[RTB.com]

Home Portion of Baseball’s SEC Schedule Starts with No. 22 Kentucky - University of Alabama Athletics

The 25th-ranked Alabama baseball team welcomes No. 22 Kentucky to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this weekend for a three-game set.

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The 25th-ranked Alabama baseball team welcomes No. 22 Kentucky to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this weekend for a three-game set. Friday's series opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch with the final two matchups slated for 2 p.m. Fans can catch games one and two on SEC Network+ with the series finale airing nationally on SEC Network.

The weekend with Kentucky will feature numerous promotions across all three games of the series. Friday will be 'Food Truck Friday' with a food truck located in right field that features a unique food option available to all fans. This weekend's vendor will be World of Beer. The Right Field Terrace will also have extra televisions available to students sitting in that area on Friday. Game two of the weekend will feature the first of five 'SEC Cup Series' giveaways. The first 500 fans can pick up their Kentucky series cup upon arrival at The Joe.

Sunday will continue 'Kids' Day at The Joe'. All kids 18-and-under can purchase a $5 general admission ticket. Children will then have the chance to run the bases postgame. Sunday will also be the Tide's first baseball card giveaway of the 2023 season. The giveaway is part of a season-long promotion highlighting the 2023 roster. Kids can get their first pack of cards and stay after the game to get autographs from the group of players featured on this Sunday's set of cards.

Follow the Tide​

Fans can follow the series via the below outlets:
Watch: SEC Network+ (Friday and Saturday) / SEC Network (Sunday)
Listen: 100.9 FM / CTSN / The Varsity App
Twitter: @AlabamaBSB
Live Stats: RollTide.com

Probable Starting Pitching Matchups​

FRIDAY: UA – Ben Hess (So., RHP) vs. UK – Logan Martin (Sr., RHP)
SATURDAY: UA – Luke Holman (So., RHP) vs. UK – Tyler Bosma (Gr., LHP)
SUNDAY: UA – Grayson Hitt (Jr., LHP) vs. UK – Zack Lee (Sr., RHP)

• Game Notes
• Live Stats
• Series Preview: Coach Bohannon
• Series Preview: Ben Hess
• Series Preview: Caden Rose
• Watch: Friday
• Watch: Saturday
• Watch: Sunday
• Purchase Tickets

 

[alabama mike]

Hopefully the weather stays good and Bama comes out of this weekend with a series win.

 

[rick4bama]

Roll Tide!!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Not a great day for Alabama sports in general…. Scored 2 in the 9th to get it to extras, but fell in the 12th.



Bama really needs to get the next 2.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

In "other scores from around the SEC" news...

Vandy beat MSU 26-3 in 7 innings... Bulldogs now 0-4 in SEC play. One Vandy player had 5 hits and 11 RBI. Another had 3 hits and 8 RBI.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Not just saying this because it’s Tennessee, and I’ve said it before, but their field (all field turf, no dirt other than the mound) is an embarrassment to them and the SEC. Looks like Tropicana field, only shittier.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Cats take the series. Really disappointing game from Alabama today in several ways. They are a much better team than what they've shown these last 2 weekends. With a 3 game series at Arkansas looming next week, tomorrow is a must win.

 

[UA Press Release]

Baseball Falls, 9-5, in Saturday Matchup with No. 22 Kentucky - University of Alabama Athletics

Alabama baseball came up short in a Saturday matchup with No. 22 Kentucky, falling 9-5 to the Wildcats.

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball came up short in a Saturday matchup with No. 22 Kentucky, falling 9-5 to the Wildcats. The 25th-ranked Tide is now 18-6 overall and 1-4 in Southeastern Conference play.

Kentucky posted single tallies in the second and third before a two-run fourth made it a 4-0 ballgame. Alabama answered with a three-spot in the home half of the fourth to make it a one-run affair, but a three-run top of the fifth by UK put the game out of reach. The Wildcats added two more in the seventh with the Tide countering for a pair in the bottom of the seventh, but the score would stay there for a 9-5 final.

Alabama out-hit Kentucky on Saturday, totaling 12 by day's end. Colby Shelton paced the Tide with a 3-for-4 showing that included a double, a walk and two runs scored. William Hamiter and Andrew Pinckney joined Shelton with a multi-hit game, each totaling a pair of knocks to go with one RBI apiece.

The win went to Kentucky reliever Austin Strickland (2-0) while Tide starter Luke Holman (4-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon​

"This was a really poor effort by our club today. We just didn't play very well in every area. Kentucky is a good team, and we walked them and hit them nine times. We also didn't do a good job defending their running game. You can't play a good team and give them that much. They're going to take advantage of it, and, to their credit, that's exactly what they did."

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Alabama salvages a game, wins today 4-3. Tide overcame several baserunning fuckups to win, but this isn't a team that can afford many mistakes like that in league play. Bright side, Hitt pitched well, only gave up 1 ER in 6 IP. Kade Woods, who has been incredible out of the pen this season, gave up a solo shot, but shut them down besides that for the 3 inning save. Bama now 2-4 in league play, they travel to play an elite Arkansas team next weekend.

 

[SnakeDoc]

Is Bama's current SEC record indicative of what to expect this season, or have the first opponents been good?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Is Bama's current SEC record indicative of what to expect this season, or have the first opponents been good?

Both? Florida is really damn good. Kentucky is better than I think anyone expected.... they are a death by a 1000 cuts team that will cause a lot of teams issues with their style. The league schedule is a meat grinder, but Bama could have easily had 2 more wins and be sitting at 4-2 or certainly 3-3. Going .500 in league play would be ok. There's a soft (relatively speaking) spot in the schedule coming up with back-to-back series at home vs. State and auburn... winning those 2 (or taking 4 of 6 total at the least), is really important. Need Garrett McMillain back soon to boost the weekend rotation... supposedly he's on track to be back by early April. The main thing IMO though, is they've got to play smarter baseball. They have reverted back to a lot of the same tendencies that have caused them issues in the past... bad baserunning, poor approaches at the plate, poor situational hitting, questionable timing and selection of pitching changes at times, etc. The margin of error in league play with this squad is small, so they have to do the little things right, and Bohannon can't afford too many mulligans with his decisions along the way. But, the overall talent, depth, and ability is there for them to make some noise.

 

[TerryP]

Eighth-Inning Rally Pushes Baseball Past No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3 - University of Alabama Athletics

An eighth-inning rally for Alabama baseball helped the 25th-ranked Crimson Tide down No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3, on Sunday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – An eighth-inning rally for Alabama baseball helped the 25th-ranked Crimson Tide down No. 22 Kentucky, 4-3, on Sunday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The Tide is now 19-6 overall and 2-4 in Southeastern Conference play.

A back-and-forth game saw both teams trade runs all day. Kentucky struck for one in the top of the first with the Tide matching them in the home half. The Wildcats then added a single tally in the fourth for a 2-1 lead before Alabama evened things up again with one in the sixth. The lead went right back to UK with a run in the top of the seventh before a wild eighth saw the Tide score the tying and go-ahead runs for the eventual 4-3 final.

That eighth began with a walk to Jim Jarvis with one down. A double to right from William Hamiter put two in scoring position before Ed Johnson came to the plate. The Tide second baseman sent a chopper to first that was fielded cleanly but a slip on the throw home led to a play at the plate with Jarvis sliding under the tag. Andrew Pinckney was next up, singling to left to score Hamiter for what would prove to be the game-winning run.

Pinckney led the offense with a 2-for-3 day that included two RBI and a walk. Johnson and Jarvis each added one RBI with Jarvis also contributing two runs scored.

Alabama got off to a strong start on the mound thanks to Grayson Hitt. The junior allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with five punchouts across his season-high 6.0 innings. Kade Woods (2-0) followed, working the final 3.0 frames and allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts for the win.

From Head Coach Brad Bohannon​

"There was a period of time where you couldn't get an extra-base hit here Friday night the way the wind was blowing, and it was a really un-offensive ballpark again yesterday. Our guys started pressing a little bit (today), but once we scored in the sixth it kind of took the monkey off our back a little bit. And then, obviously, Andrew Pinckney got the big hit in the eighth. I'm really glad to get a win – we needed it – and excited to keep going forward."

How It Happened​

• T1 | The Wildcats moved the leadoff man to third before a single through the left side brought him in. (1-0, Kentucky)
• B1 | Colby Shelton was hit by a pitch to start the inning. A Will Hodo single moved the leadoff man to second before a sacrifice bunt put Shelton at third. He came across on the next play, tagging on a flyout in foul territory from Jim Jarvis. (1-1)
• T2 | A walk and single put runners on the corners before a sac bunt brought in the go-ahead run from third. (2-1, Kentucky)
• B6 | Jarvis got aboard with a one-out single followed by a walk to William Hamiter in the next at-bat. The pair moved into scoring position on a wild pitch before a two-out RBI-single through the right side from Andrew Pinckney tied things up. (2-2)
• T7 | Grant Smith put UK back in front with a solo homer to center. (3-2, Kentucky)
• B8 | Jarvis drew a walk with one down before a double from Hamiter moved both runners into scoring position. Ed Johnson followed with a fielder's choice that resulted in a play at the plate that saw Jarvis slide under the tag for the tying run. Pinckney then put the Tide in front with an RBI-single to left. (4-3, Alabama)

Postgame Notes​

• Today's win was Alabama's first when trailing after the seventh inning. The Tide was previously 0-5 when trailing in the eighth or later.
• Grayson Hitt tossed a season-high 6.0 innings in today's start. His previous best in 2023 was 5.2 in game two of last weekend's doubleheader at Florida.
• ATTENDANCE: 3,164

Next up for Alabama is a trip to Madison for a midweek matchup with Middle Tennessee at Toyota Field. The Crimson Tide and Blue Raiders are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch at the Double-A home of the Los Angeles Angels.

 

[SnakeDoc]

Both? Florida is really damn good. Kentucky is better than I think anyone expected.... they are a death by a 1000 cuts team that will cause a lot of teams issues with their style. The league schedule is a meat grinder, but Bama could have easily had 2 more wins and be sitting at 4-2 or certainly 3-3. Going .500 in league play would be ok. There's a soft (relatively speaking) spot in the schedule coming up with back-to-back series at home vs. State and auburn... winning those 2 (or taking 4 of 6 total at the least), is really important. Need Garrett McMillain back soon to boost the weekend rotation... supposedly he's on track to be back by early April. The main thing IMO though, is they've got to play smarter baseball. They have reverted back to a lot of the same tendencies that have caused them issues in the past... bad baserunning, poor approaches at the plate, poor situational hitting, questionable timing and selection of pitching changes at times, etc. The margin of error in league play with this squad is small, so they have to do the little things right, and Bohannon can't afford too many mulligans with his decisions along the way. But, the overall talent, depth, and ability is there for them to make some noise.

Thanks.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Updated league standings through this weekend's games... Two weeks in but the East is controlling things.

SEC - East

	CONF	CONF %	OVERALL	HOME	ROAD
#11 South Carolina	6-0	1.000	23-2	18-0	4-2
#4 Vanderbilt	6-0	1.000	19-5	11-3	4-0
#23 Kentucky	5-1	.833	21-3	14-1	7-2
#3 Florida	5-1	.833	22-4	16-4	6-0
#12 Tennessee	3-3	.500	19-6	18-1	0-4
#22 Missouri	3-3	.500	17-6	11-1	3-4
Georgia	1-5	.167	15-9	10-6	3-2

SEC - West

	CONF	CONF %	OVERALL	HOME	ROAD
#1 LSU	4-2	.667	21-3	16-1	3-1
#5 Arkansas	4-2	.667	20-4	17-1	1-2
Alabama	2-4	.333	19-6	16-4	3-2
Auburn	2-4	.333	16-7-1	13-4-1	1-3
#21 Texas A&M	1-5	.167	15-9	11-5	2-3
#13 Ole Miss	0-6	.000	15-9	12-5	1-4
Mississippi State	0-6	.000	14-11	10-6	0-3

 

[alabama mike]

Just thankful for the rally!