TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Sunday Funday was a good day for runs, not so much pitching as Alabama completed the sweep on an 11-8 win over Manhattan University.
As it has done the past two games, Alabama scored in the first inning, but the real fireworks for the Tide started in the third when Freshman Justin Lebron hit a two-run inside-the-park home run, which was the first home run of the season for the team. TJ McCants followed that later in the inning with a two-run laser over the right-field wall.
“Baseball is a little weird sometimes and we are gonna keep getting back to our brand of baseball,” said Evan Sleight on the not hitting home runs until today.
Manhattan was able to put tons of pressure on the Tide’s pitching staff forcing Aiden Moza out of the game in the fourth after three-ER tallying seven-K and got credited with the win.
Each time the Tide put up a crooked number Manhattan responded with some runs, but the knockout punch was done by Will Hodo and Gage Miller with solo home runs in the bottom of the sixth and the eighth inning to give some insurance runs.
Hodo finished three-for-4 with a home run, and eight out of nine starters got a hit for the Tide, which led to 11 runs scored.
Alton Davis II got the first save of the season closing the door for the final six outs after taking a liner off the ankle in the bottom of the eighth. Davis II finished with three-K.
“It was fun to let our guys go compete this weekend and see the support of the fans was great and they made a huge difference,” said Coach Rob Vaughn on his first series at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Up next for the Tide will be a midweek game on Tuesday versus Middle Tennessee State with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. central on the SEC Network +.
