TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- It was all academic for Alabama baseball as they returned to the win column with an 8-1 performance over Troy on Wednesday.

Starting pitcher Jacob McNairy, the day’s winning hurler, dealt hard with 6.1 perfect innings before allowing a hit. His final line was seven innings pitched with just the one hit and no runs allowed. 

Meanwhile, on offense, the Crimson Tide did not wait long to score. Jim Jarvis and Zane Denton both crossed home plate in the bottom of the very first inning, forcing the Trojans into an early deficit. In fact, Alabama scored in every inning up until the fifth, and only did not score in the fifth and eighth innings. 

The bats racked up a season-high 15 hits. They added two homers, including Zane Denton’s second in as many days and Camden Hayslip’s first career blast. Leadoff man Jim Jarvis and Denton each had three hits.

The home offense was so volatile that Troy used seven different pitchers during the game. Starter Grayson Stewart was credited with the loss and pitched a single frame. The first five Trojan pitchers all allowed at least a run. 

The Trojans were shut out until the ninth inning, when William Sullivan, who broke up McNairy’s perfect game, added an RBI off Connor Ball for his second hit of the game. 

“[It was] a really good effort overall after coming up short these last few days,” said pitching coach Jason Jackson. “I thought we really swung the bat well. We did a really good job of getting guys on base every single inning.” With regard to his pitcher, Jackson described McNairy as “the story of the day” and added that he had put the team on his back.

“I was locating my fastball well,” said McNairy. “I’ve been working on a new breaking ball, and it’s been better, and my changeup was good, so I had all three pitches working.” He characterized the day’s consistent run support as a relief and said he wasn’t thinking anything differently about his work on the mound as he progressed through the game.

The Crimson Tide snapped a four-game skid with the victory to bring their overall mark to 6-4. Troy fell to 5-4 following the game, and they have now lost two in a row.

Alabama continues its current homestand with a weekend series against the Murray State Racers from Friday to Sunday.

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