TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- Alabama Baseball wins a back-and-forth game against the No. 1 Texas A&M Aggies 10-9 to avoid the sweep to move to 25-15 and 7-11 in conference play.
“That game was exactly what you wanted from this group,” Head Coach Rob Vaughn said.
Alabama got off to a strong start similar to game one of the series, going up 5-0 in the bottom of the second on a grand slam by Mac Guscette. This makes it two home runs and two grand slams for Guscette in as many days. Ian Petrutz followed that up with a loud sacrifice fly to deep right-center field to score Bryce Eblin from third.
“I just went out there and did everything I could do to win, and that mindset helps me a lot,” said Guscette on the performance.
Texas A&M had continued the slugging from last night with an RBI single by Gavin Grahovac and a sacrifice fly to right center by Jace LaViolette. Guscette went to the plate again with the bases loaded but only scored one, this time on a sacrifice fly to center.
The Aggies chased Zane Adams out of the game in the fourth on a bases-clearing double by Grahovac. The top of the A&M gave Tide all kinds of troubles. In the fifth, Kade Snell hit a loud line-drive ringing off the foul pole in right field for a solo home run, number four on the season. Snell finished the game a perfect five-for-five at the dish.
A big defensive mistake on a misplayed foul ball allowed Travis Chestnut to get an RBI triple. Jace LaViolette hit a towering 2-run homer to the third level of the terrace in right to give A&M the lead off Alton Davis II. Gage Miller, coming off the zero-for-five game in game two yesterday, turned on a 3-1 fastball to tie the game back up for home run number 17.
Continuing into the seventh, the game was a back-and-forth with a Caden Sorrell sacrifice fly, but the game was turned upside down in the home half when Eblin turned on the first pitch, smoking a single up the middle to score two and give the Tide the lead.
Davis II got into trouble at the top of the ninth but stranded two in scoring position, ending the game on a fly-out to second place to salvage the series. Davis II pitched a career-high 71 pitches on 3.1 innings with three strikeouts tallying the win.
“I pitch with a ton of emotion and use that juice on the mound and use my adrenaline the right way,” said Davis II of the energy levels on the mound.
Alabama will look to end the nine-game homestand on Tuesday by hosting the Samford Bulldogs. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. central time on the SEC Network +.
