TUSCALOOSA, Ala. –The Alabama Crimson Tide move its win streak to seven with a 4-3 win over The University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Alabama’s Garret Rukes is contributed with the win, moving to 1-0 on the season.

Rukes faced 11 batters in three innings, pitching three strikeouts and allowing three hits.

Kyle Cameron, Chase Lee and Casey Cobb all came on to pitch for an inning throughout the game for the Crimson Tide. Jeremey Randolph came on in the 9thand is credited with the save, his second of the season.

UAB starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft is credited with the loss, pitching three innings and allowing two runs. Ashcraft has now moved to 1-1 on the season for the Blazers.

It wouldn’t be until the bottom of the third that the Crimson Tide offense began to start connecting as John Trousdale started off the hitting with a double up the first base line. After a Joe Breaux bunt, Trousdale would move to third eventually being hit in by Brett Auerbach.

The bases were then loaded as Tyler Gentry earned his first RBI of the game hitting Auerbach home and giving the Crimson Tide a 2-0 lead after the third inning.

Gentry recorded another RBI in the bottom of the 5thinning after hitting a solo home run deep over the center field fence. Gentry would finish the day leading the Crimson Tide with two RBI’s on three hits.

Gentry and Breaux would lead the Crimson Tide with more than half of the team’s hits. They would record three each as the team finished with 10.

It was late when the UAB bats began to warm up as the Blazers would add a run in the start of the seventh after J. Paul Fullerton doubled to center and would be brought home on a Thomas Johns single moving the score to 4-1.

The Blazers would add two more runs (4-3) at the start of the ninth inning before Randolph came in for the Tide. He finished the game striking out two of the final three he faced.

The Alabama defense only had one error in a good defensive performance. The UAB Blazers defense had zero errors.

The Crimson Tide moves to 11-2 on the season as the UAB Blazers move to 9-4.

After talking about the multiple pitchers used in Monday’s game, Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon said, “expect to see four to five pitchers again tomorrow against South Dakota.”

The Crimson Tide play again Tuesday against South Dakota State at 3 p.m. CST at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

 

(Photo Courtesy The Crimson White)