What Happened?
With a Noah’s Ark-deluge predicted for the rest of the week, the Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks moved their scheduled Tuesday game to Monday. The Tide scored early and often, and steamrolled the visitors 13-2. Alabama improved to 3-1 and JSU fell to 2-2 on the year.
None of the pitchers threw more than two innings, and the third hurler on the night, Kyle Cameron, was awarded the victory. Cameron pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Will Freeman started and was followed by Brock Guffey, Cameron, Davis Vainer, Dylan Smith, and Dylan Oliver. Coach Brad Bohannon utilized 19 position players and six pitchers in the lopsided win. Four games into the season, every player on the roster, save Tyrell Shavers, has seen action. Shavers has not been seen in the dugout for any of the early season games.
Freeman surrendered a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first to give the ‘Cocks their only lead of the game. Shortstop Kolby Robinson made a spectacular diving play to record out number three and save a run to end the inning. It didn't take the Tide long to tie the game, as leadoff hitter Jeaux Breaux lined the first pitch he saw into the right field plaza for his first home run of the season. Morgan McCullough singled with one out and eventually scored on an RBI ground out by Keith Holcombe.
The Tide broke the game wide open in the bottom of the second, scoring seven times on four hits, three walks, a hit batter, and a sac bunt. McCullough singled in two runs and Holcombe doubled to score two more. Tyler Gentry added a two run single, and Brett Auerbach brought in a run with a bases loaded walk. T J Reeves got hit by a pitch and scored on a double play in the third, and the Tide piled two more runs on in the fourth. Sam Praytor walked and advanced to third on Holcombe’s second double of the night. Gentry singled Praytor in, and Holcombe scored on the back end of a double steal.
After the fourth inning, the Tide did not collect another hit, and only scored once more, pushing an unearned run across in the eighth. Bohannon emptied his bench, replacing every position player starting in the top of the fifth.
Freshman Dylan Smith saw the first action of his career, pitching 1.2 sharp innings with one hit allowed and one strikeout. Junior college transfer Dylan Oliver made his Tide debut and struck out the last batter of the game.
‘Bama collected 10 hits, walked nine times, got hit by two pitches, committed no errors, and left nine men on base. JSU had six hits, walked twice, struck out eight times and left six men on base, and committed three costly errors
Who Did What?
- Keith Holcombe 2-3, two doubles, three RBI, two runs, stolen base
- Tyler Gentry 2-3, three RBI, stolen base
- Morgan McCullough 2-3, two RBI, two runs
- Jeaux Breaux 1-3, Home run, RBI, two runs. BB,
- T.J. Reeves 1-2, two runs, HBP
- Kyle Cameron Win, 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K
What’s Next?
Four more home games.
A scheduled game for Wednesday at 3 p.m. vs Alabama State, weather permitting, and a three-game series with Ball State. Game times are 3 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All four games are available on the SEC Network Plus.
Roll Tide Roll, ‘Bama Baseball Fever, Catch It
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