TUSCALOOSA, AL– The Alabama Crimson Tide (18-4) bounced back from its loss at Ole Miss with a win over the Maine Black Bears (1-16) Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

This is Alabama’s third meeting with the Maine Black Bears and series is now 2-1 in favor of the Crimson Tide. This is the first time the two teams have played since March 15thand 16th1989.

Alabama Crimson Tide Volleyball head coach Lindsey Devine was honored before the game by throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

The Alabama offense was the main highlight of the game as it scored 16 runs with 16 hits and had three different players with home runs.

The starting pitcher for the Crimson Tide Tyler Ras (1-1) pitched five innings throwing five strikeouts and allowing three hits on the 15 batters he faced. Brock Guffey then came in and struck out three of the four batters. Deacon Medders came on in the top of the ninth striking out the Black Bears last three batters to finish the game for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama’s offensive scoring kicked off in the bottom of the second after Holby Robinson popped up to left field and T.J. Reeves tagged home from third for the Crimson Tide’s first run. The next batter Joe Breaux hit a triple, driving in two runs to take a 3-0 lead after two innings.

Morgan McCullough continued the offense in the bottom of the third with a solo home run into the student section in right field. T.J. Reeves then connected with an inside the park home run knocking in Tyler Gentry and bringing the Crimson Tide’s lead to six. This was the first inside-the-park home run for the Crimson Tide since Mikey White hit one against Georgia in April 2015.

Tyler Gentry would score again in the fourth inning after hitting a solo home run, his ninth of the season. Breaux continued his hot offensive day with a two-run single in the fifth to bring the Crimson Tide’s lead to nine. The Crimson Tide would add another run in the bottom of the sixth.

In the seventh inning the Crimson Tide would tack on five unearned runs. Two runs were brought in from bases-loaded walks. Johnny Hawk hit an RBI single to take a 13-0 lead. Isaiah Byars then hit a two-run single to go ahead by 15.

The Crimson Tide would tack on its 16thrun of the night after Gentry popped up and Auerbach scored from third. Medders then came on and threw three strikeouts to finish off the Black Bears.

The Alabama Crimson Tide continue play Friday against ninth ranked Arkansas at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

 

(Photo Courtesy The Crimson White)