TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama dropped its midweek to South Alabama to move to 22-11 on the season after leading for most of the ballgame.
“We just weren’t good enough tonight, and I challenged these guys after the game to show me how they respond when things are not going well,” said Coach Rob Vaughn after the game.
After going hitless through the first run through the batting order, Alabama put up a 4-run third inning – all coming with two outs in the inning – with Gage Miller getting the rally started on an inside-out single just inside the first base bag, scoring Evan Sleight. Ian Petrutz followed that up with another single up the middle, scoring Miller. Will Hodo almost hit one over the wall but scored 2 on a double to right, which was all the Tide needed in the game.
Kade Snell toed the mound for Alabama in start number three in the midweek slot and looked good early, getting tons of swing and misses. Still, the two mistakes came in the fourth and fifth on 2 solo home runs for South Alabama by Lucas Ismaili and Joseph Sullivan.
Like Alabama, South Alabama capitalized on two-out RBIs in the eighth to take the lead. JG Bell’s double to right field tied the game, and Duncan Matthews scored one on a single to right. The Tide had a chance to get out at the plate, but the ball just popped out of Kameron Guangorena’s glove. Alabama had a runner on third with one out in the bottom half but could not tie the game and went down swinging in the ninth.
“We need the fans to stick with this team, and we need every ounce of them this weekend,” said Vaughn.
Alabama will next welcome the number one team in the country, the Arkansas Razorbacks, to town. Game one is set for Friday, with the first pitch at 6 p.m. central time on the SEC Network +.
