By: Nicholas Elliott
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- Alabama bounces back in a big way after a disappointing outing in game one of the series and has evened up the series against the Auburn Tigers after a 4-2 win in front of a near sell-out at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Tide bats, which did not produce a run until the ninth inning in game one, came out early in the second when Andrew Pinckney drew a bases-loaded walk to strike first for the Tide. Mac Guscette hit a ball off the top of the wall to add two RBIs to his name.
“This is a must-win series and you got to pretend that we are in Hoover with one loss,” said Alabama Coach Brad Bohannon on what he told his team this morning.
Alabama’s patience at the plate really showed when Ed Johnson added an RBI on a walk. The Tide drew 11 free passes in the game and forced Auburn to go to its bullpen very early.
“It felt good to attack hitters with my fastball and get ahead in the count,” McMillan said on how it felt to be back on the bump.
Garrett McMillan made his second start of the season after going only one inning against Mississippi State and pitched one of his best performances in an Alabama uniform pitching 5.0 innings with four-K and only allowing a single on his last batter faced in the outing. It was a much-needed outing for the Tide pitching staff after having two of its weekend starters out with injuries.
Auburn did not go away scoring two runs late in the game, but Freshmen Alton Davis put away the Tigers in the ninth to earn his second collegiate save.
“It felt amazing the energy and the electricity by the fans to go out here and do what I’ve been doing the last couple outings is amazing,” Davis said on how it felt pitching in a game like this.
Alabama was led at the plate by Guscette who went 2-3 with two RBIs. Dominic Tamez also went 2-4 at the plate.
The Tide looks to take its first SEC series tomorrow in the rubber match against the Tigers. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. central on the SEC Network + with the starting pitchers still TBD.
