TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 17 Alabama run-ruled Valparaiso for the third time in a weekend in an 11-1 win, moving to a perfect 8-0 on the season behind 3 RBI games from Evan Sleight and TJ McCants.
Valparaiso continued to give Alabama trouble with another lead in the first off starter Greg Farone. The Tide had trailed as it did Saturday, but as it has done all year, struck back quickly with a 2 RBI double from Sleight. Gage Miller continued to terrorize Valpo – as he’d done all weekend – with another two-run home run in the second.
The Beacons gave trouble on the base paths to the pitching staff in the top of the fourth – loading the bases with no outs – but Austin Morris fought back, striking out two to get out of the inning. Braylon Myers came in the following inning with base traffic in scoring position escaping with soft-contact outs from the defense.
“I thought Austin did a good job getting out of that with a zero and no panicking and trusting his stuff,” Coach Rob Vaughn said on Morris getting out of the bases-loaded jam.
McCants had started the game 0-3 – putting his seven game hit streak in jeopardy – until he hit a sixth inning solo home run to center, and a 2-run home run in the seventh to finish off the game.
Farone started the game pitching 3.0 innings with striking out five, allowing one run on two hits. Morris went 1 inning with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks. Myers pitched 1 inning with 1 strikeout and allowed 3 hits in the win. Pierce George went an inning, throwing a loud 100 mph fastball and striking out two.
“I want this group playing its baseball in May and June and not February and getting into some big tests coming up ramping up pitch counts and let them get deeper into games,” said Vaughn on Alabama’s pitching staff not having a starter exceed five innings.
Up next for Alabama is a road trip to the Magic City to face the UAB Blazers on Tuesday with first pitch set for 6 p.m. central.
