Saturday’s doubleheader between No. 8 Alabama and No. 16 Auburn was a full display of rivalry baseball: clutch homers, wild swings of momentum, and tense late-inning drama. In the end, the two in-state foes split the twin bill, with Alabama rallying for a thrilling 6-5 win in Game 1 before falling 7-5 in the nightcap at Plainsman Park.
The Crimson Tide found themselves trailing 5-4 entering the ninth inning of Game 1. Auburn had chipped away, scoring runs in the sixth and seventh to take the lead. But Justin Lebron had other plans.
With Richie Bonomolo Jr. on base, Lebron stepped up and drilled a two-run shot deep over the left field wall, silencing the crowd and vaulting Alabama back in front, 6-5. The blast capped off a 3-for-5 game for the shortstop, who also knocked in three of Alabama’s six runs.
From there, Carson Ozmer slammed the door, retiring Auburn in order in the ninth to lock down his SEC-leading ninth save of the season. It was a gritty win for Alabama, which had earlier trailed 2-0 before fighting back behind timely hits from Lebron, Garrett Staton, and Bonomolo Jr.
“A lot of maturity shown in the (the first) game today, down one going into the ninth and fighting our way to a big win,” said Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn.
If Game 1 was Alabama’s fight back, Game 2 belonged to Auburn early. The Tigers ambushed Crimson Tide starter Bobby Alcock for four runs in the first inning, forcing a quick exit after just one out recorded.
Alabama refused to go quietly, though. Garrett Staton answered with a three-run homer to pull the Tide within one. Jason Torres later added a two-RBI single to make it 7-5 in the seventh, but the Auburn bullpen held firm, closing out the win and the series.
Pitching depth proved pivotal in Game 2. While Alabama’s bullpen settled in after the first, the early damage was too much to overcome. Auburn’s relievers, meanwhile, combined for 5.2 innings of two-run ball to preserve the win.
“The second game got off to a rough start, but we stayed in the fight and gave ourselves a chance late,” said coach Vaughn. “We just didn’t have enough to finish.”
The doubleheader showcased the best and worst of Alabama’s game. In the opener, they showed grit and resilience. In the nightcap, early pitching woes and defensive lapses set them back.
“Overall, we just have to get out of the gate better on both sides of the ball,” said coach Vaughn. “We will rest up and recover and get ready for a good Southern Miss team coming to town on Tuesday.”
With the split, Alabama moves to 27-6 on the season and 7-5 in SEC play. They’ll return home to face Southern Miss on Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium, looking to bounce back and continue their push toward the top of the conference.
