By: Clay Pruitt
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama Crimson Tide took game two of the series 8-4 and won the series 2-1. The A&M Aggies could not catch up once the Tide started to roll.
Grayson Hitt started the day for Alabama. He gave up five hits and two runs. Those two runs came in the top of the second inning when Aggies’ third baseman Ryan Targac hit a two-run homer to center field. Hitt finished the day after four innings of work. He faced 19 batters, four of which he struck out.
Alabama got their offense started in the bottom of the fourth when a William Hamiter blasted a ball to center field. Tommy Seidl and Andrew Pinckeny scored which gave Hamiter two RBIs. Dominic Tamez then hit a single down the left field line, Hamiter scored. Zane Denton hit an RBI single that scooted past Aggies’ second baseman Austin Bost. Tamez was able to score. That was Denton’s first RBI of the day. Lastly, Drew Williamson hit an RBI double that brought in Denton. Bama ended the inning with the lead, 5-2.
In the top of the fifth, Hunter Furtado came in to pitch for the Tide. Furtado led Bama in a three up, three down top of the fifth inning. Furtado gave Alabama two innings of work.
A&M recorded their first error of the game in the bottom of the seventh when Aggies third baseman Ryan Targac mishandled Bryce Eblin’s bunt. The Tide later scored Tommy Seidl after Andrew Pinckney hit an RBI single. With the bases loaded, Denton was hit by a pitch, which allowed Pinckney to score. This would be Denton’s second RBI of the day. The seventh inning ended with the Tide on top 7-2.
In the top of the eighth, Landon Green replaced Furtado on the mound. Green threw a wild pitch that allowed Troy Claunch to score. Alabama still led by four.
Alabama responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the eighth. Eblin hit an RBI double to right field that scored Tommy Seidl. Bama led 8-3.
Brock Guffey came in for Bama in the top of the ninth. He finished the game for the Tide only giving up one hit which was a homerun. The last out came when Aggies’ first baseman Jack Moss grounded out to Jim Jarvis.
Alabama finished with 11 hits and eight RBIs. Zane Denton and William Hamiter ended the day with two RBIs each. Bryce Eblin had four hits, the most on the team. Hunter Furtado was credited with the win which improved his record to 3-2.
“We are doing a lot of good things on the mound” head coach Brad Bohannon said. “When you play at home you need to win those series.”
Alabama improves to 17-12 overall and 4-5 in conference play. Texas A&M falls to 16-11 and 4-5 in conference play. Alabama’s next game will be against the Samford Bulldogs at Swell-Thomas Stadium. The game will start at 6 p.m. CT.
-30-
