⚾ 🥎 ⚾ Late Rally Not Enough in Baseball’s Heartbreaking 5-4 Loss to No. 14 LSU

[UA Press Release]

Early Runs Help Baseball to 6-1 Win over 14th-Ranked LSU on Friday - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball used a complete team effort to come away with a 6-1 win over 14th-ranked LSU on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Following the series opener, the Crimson Tide is 26-17 on the season including a 5-14 mark in Southeastern Conference play.

"This was a great team win," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon. "I was really excited to see us throw the first punch tonight. T.J. (Reeves) and Tyler (Gentry) came out and hit those home runs early, and we kept our foot on the pedal. (Sam) Finnerty was awesome, and Chase Leeand Brock Guffey each did a great job in relief. Obviously, we did a lot better offensively – we got 10 hits and had a lot of hard contact. It was just a really, really good win all the way around for us."

The Crimson Tide got out front early thanks to a pair of solo home runs in the first. Alabama then recorded single marks in the second, third, fifth and seventh innings to build a six-run lead. LSU was able to scratch across one in the top of the ninth, but that was all, as the Crimson Tide secured the 6-1 win on opening night.

Sam Finnerty (6-5) picked up his sixth victory of the season thanks to another quality start. The senior tossed 6.0 scoreless frames, allowing five hits and issuing a walk while striking out six Tiger batters. Finnerty then handed it over to the bullpen with the duo of redshirt freshman Chase Lee and sophomore Brock Guffey working the final 3.0 innings for series-opening win.

Eight of the nine Tide starters on offense reached base safely on Friday night, paced by Brett Auerbach. The junior finished a perfect 4-for-4 with a team-leading two doubles and two RBI to go with one run scored. Fellow junior Morgan McCullough also recorded a pair of base knocks, going 2-for-4 with a run. The Crimson Tide's two homers came from freshman T.J. Reeves and sophomore Tyler Gentry – both in the first inning.

The solo home runs helped Alabama take an early lead. First was Reeves, with the freshman sending one into the parking lot behind left field for his seventh homer of the season. One out later, Gentry bounced a ball off the top of the scoreboard, sending the 1-2 pitch out in a hurry for the Tide's second run of the frame. The homer was Gentry's team-leading ninth of the year and gave UA a 2-0 advantage.

Alabama added a single tally in the second, third and fifth to build a five-run lead. The third saw Auerbach lead things off with a double to left-center. The junior moved to third in the next at-bat when senior Joe Breaux dropped down a bunt single to put runners on the corners. A hit-by-pitch loaded them up before a sacrifice fly from junior John Trousdale crossed Auerbach.

In the third, Gentry came around to score on a two-out single from Auerbach to push the advantage to four. Alabama went up 5-0 in the fifth. McCullough began the run-scoring sequence, as the junior led things off with a single to left. One out later, a single from freshman Drew Williamson put two on before a third consecutive single, this one from Auerbach, loaded them up once again. Breaux then delivered the Tide's fifth run of the night with a fielder's choice to second, putting UA out front 5-0 through five full.

Alabama added one more in the seventh to make it a 6-0 game. A two-out walk from Williamson started the rally with a wild pitch advancing him to second. Auerbach brought him in with his team-high fourth hit of the night – a double down the line in left to push the lead to six. The Tigers were able to get on the board in the ninth with an RBI-double, but a flyout to right ended things at 6-1 in favor of UA.

The two teams return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch at The Joe. The matchup will feature a pair of right-handers, as the Crimson Tide will call on redshirt junior Brock Love in the start with the Tigers countering with Eric Walker, a sophomore. Fans can catch all the action live on SEC Network+.

 

[UA Press Release]

Baseball Comes up Short in 5-2 Loss to 14th-Ranked LSU - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball came up short against 14th-ranked LSU by a score of 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The loss in game two evened the series up and moved the Crimson Tide to 26-18 overall, 5-15 in Southeastern Conference play.

"Well, as pleased as I was with the way we played yesterday, I am just as agitated, frustrated and disappointed in our guys for how we played today," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon. "We just didn't pitch, hit or defend well enough to beat a team like LSU. The good thing is that we have a lot of really good pitching available for tomorrow's game, and we've gotten double-digit hits in back-to-back days. We need to pitch better, field better and hit better tomorrow, if we want to win the series."

The Crimson Tide recorded double-digit hits for a second consecutive day but could only push across two runs with 10 left stranded. LSU totaled nine hits, including a three-run home run in the fourth that proved the difference. Originally called foul, a review of the long drive was overturned to a home run and put the visitors in front by what would prove the difference in a 5-2 game.

LSU starter Eric Walker (4-3) picked up the win thanks to 5.2 innings of one-run baseball. The sophomore allowed five hits and three walks while striking out a career-high nine batters. Tiger reliever Dylan Fontenot (5) collected his fifth save of the season with 1.1 scoreless frames to close out the day. Redshirt junior Brock Love (4-4) suffered the loss in the start for Alabama.

Senior Keith Holcombe began the day's scoring with a solo home run in the first at-bat for the Crimson Tide, but The Tigers evened things up in the third with a run of their own. Then, in the fourth, the three-run home run provided LSU with a 4-1 advantage. The Tigers added one more in the top of the fifth for a four-run lead through five innings.

Alabama was able to cut into the lead with one run in the bottom of the seventh. Holcombe started things with a one-out single and another single followed to put the senior in scoring position. A flyout to right moved Holcombe up to third before a single to left-center from sophomore Tyler Gentry crossed one for the Crimson Tide, making it a 5-2 affair headed to the final two frames. Alabama reached the leadoff man in the eighth, but a double play ended the threat with UA going in order in the ninth to give LSU the game-two victory.

Sunday's matchup between the Tide and Tigers will decide the series. First pitch at The Joe is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT with Alabama sending graduate right-hander Jeremy Randolph to the hill while LSU calls on freshman Landon Marceaux, also a righty, in the rubber match. Fans can catch the series finale live on SEC Network+.

 

[UA Press Release]

Late Rally Not Enough in Baseball’s Heartbreaking 5-4 Loss to No. 14 LSU - University of Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball's late rally was not enough as the Crimson Tide fell, 5-4, to 14th-ranked LSU. Following Sunday's matchup, the Tide is now 26-19 overall and 5-16 in Southeastern Conference play.

"I was really proud of the way our guys competed, and I really hurt for them," said Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon. "I was really proud of the bullpen, they were outstanding today. They gave us a chance to scratch back and the kids fought all day, it just wasn't quite enough."

Alabama trailed 5-2 entering the final two innings. The Crimson Tide pushed across one in the eighth to narrow the gap to two headed to the ninth. That final frame saw UA score one and load the bases up with two down, but a strikeout swinging ended the game in favor of LSU. Tiger starter Landon Marceaux (3-2) earned the win while Devin Fontenot (6) picked up the save despite a shaky ninth.

Graduate Jeremy Randolph (1-2) suffered the loss with 3.0 innings of work, but the Tide bullpen was able to keep things close following his exit. The trio of redshirt junior Davis Vainer, sophomore Brock Guffey and junior Deacon Medders limited the Tigers to only two hits and one run while combining for six strikeouts. Guffey contributed a career-high 3.0 innings and added two punchouts while Medders tossed the final 2.0 stanzas, striking out three Tigers.

On offense, Brett Auerbach continued his hot hitting for the weekend, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored. Fellow junior Morgan McCullough paced the Crimson Tide in RBI with two, while sophomore Tyler Gentry homered on Sunday for his team-leading 10th roundtripper of the season.

LSU began the day's scoring with one in the first, but the Crimson Tide came right back to match, making it 1-1 through one inning of play. The Tide was able to load the bases up in that home half, with freshman Drew Williamson drawing a walk to push across one run.

The Tigers regained the lead in the third with three runs and added one more in the fourth to set the score at 5-1. Alabama narrowed the gap with one in the fifth to make it a three-run game. Auerbach started things with a one-out single, moving to second on an infield groundout. McCullough then brought him across with a single to left-center to set the score at 5-2 after five frames.

Gentry homered to lead off the eighth, making it a two-run game for the Tide going into the ninth. A single from Auerbach with one on and one down gave UA a pair of baserunners in the final half inning. Freshman T.J. Reeves then drew a walk to load them up before a McCullough grounder to second went for out No. 2 but also crossed a run. Gentry was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat to pack the bags once again, but a strikeout swinging ended things at 5-4 in favor of the Tigers.

The Crimson Tide will now take the week off for final exams before traveling to Auburn next weekend. Alabama and Auburn will meet from Friday through Sunday, May 3-5, at Plainsman Park. Friday's matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT followed by a 7 p.m. start on Saturday and a 3 p.m. first pitch on Sunday. The opener will air on SEC Network+ with the final two games being broadcast nationally by SEC Network.