TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball was unable to complete the sweep over South Carolina on Saturday, dropping the series finale 9-8. With the loss, the Crimson Tide dropped to 21-7 and 4-5 in conference play.
“We had a good weekend, but we were just not good enough today and did not finish the game strong,” Coach Rob Vaughn said.
Greg Farone got the ball for the series finale, attacking the strike zone and staying ahead of counts. Will Hodo carried the momentum from last night’s game with the bat with a solo blast to left field that got out in a hurry to give the Tide the early lead.
The bats continued to rake in the third, with Max Grant hitting home run number one in a Crimson Tide uniform in start number two on the season, followed by an RBI single by Ian Petrutz, who continued the hot series from the dish.
Hodo continued to have a day at the plate homering again to the opposite field with a solo blast, which was number eight on the season. South Carolina as it had done all series coming back after falling behind with a 2-run home run to right by Dylan Brewer, followed by a Kennedy Jones double off the wall chasing Farone out of the ballgame.
After getting out of a big jam in the previous inning, the game got away quickly from Tyler Fay by two RBI doubles from Cole Messina and Ethan Petry with an RBI single mixed in by Gavin Casas.
Never count out the Tide in the ninth with a chance to tie and even win the game with RBIs from William Hamiter on a groundout, Gage Miller, who reaches for the fifth time of the game on a 2 RBI triple to right. Some clutch two out hitting to keep the game going with TJ McCants scoring one on a single. McCants was the tying run, and got caught at third to lose the game after Evan Sleight reached on an infield single.
“That’s not on TJ,” Vaughn said on the game ending play.
Next for Alabama is a road trip to Homewood to face the Samford Bulldogs on Tuesday, with the first pitch at 6 p.m. central.
