Bama Wins Classic Pitchers' Duel Over Ole Miss, 2-1
3/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama freshman left-hander Wade LeBlanc and Ole Miss left-hander Brae Wright matched zeroes for eight innings before a wild ninth inning led to a 2-1 come-from-behind win for the Crimson Tide in front of a paid crowd of 4,650 here at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Pinch-runner Matt Grooms stole second and third and then scored the winning run on a passed ball by backup catcher Justin Brashear to give the Crimson Tide a 2-1 win over the fifth-ranked Rebels.
Alabama (17-8, 2-3 SEC) scored twice in the ninth inning for its second walk-off win of the season.
The Crimson Tide needed those two runs to win the pitcher's duel after Ole Miss (19-3, 4-1 SEC) right-fielder Seth Smith slammed a two-out solo home run in the top of the ninth inning off LeBlanc.
It was Smith's third home run of the season and second in the series with Alabama.
Trailing 1-0, Alabama junior second baseman Allen Rice led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double into the right field corner.
Third baseman Brian Pettway replaced Wright on the mound and allowed a sacrifice bunt to junior right fielder Gabe Scott as Rice moved to third base with one out.
Pinch-hitter Ryan Beagle plated the tying as he reached on a fielder's choice when second baseman Cooper Osteen's throw home was late as Rice tied the game at 1-1. Pinch-runner Matt Grooms moved into scoring position with a stolen base and pinch-hitter Zac Welch was intentionally walked to set up a potential double play.
With Rocky Scelfo batting, Grooms stole third base and then scored one pitch later on the passed ball by Brashear to give Alabama a 2-1 come-from-behind win.
LeBlanc (5-1) pitched another gem for the Crimson Tide en route to his third complete game of the season. The Lake Charles, La., native held the Rebels to one run on six hits in nine innings, with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Pettway (0-1) took his first loss of the season, allowing one unearned run and one walk in one-third of an inning in relief of Wright, who was equally impressive as LeBlanc.
Wright took the no decision despite allowing one run on five hits. He also walked one, hit two batters and did not record a strikeout. Wright entered the game with 38 strikeouts and only three walks in 36 innings this season.
Both teams had chances to score runs early in the game, but the pitching was too strong on this day in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide left nine men on base, while the Rebels stranded five base runners.
Alabama squandered numerous chances in the first eight innings against Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide wasted leadoff doubles by Evan Bush and Carlos Sosa in the second and fourth innings.
UA's best chance to score came in the sixth inning as the Tide put six runners on base but did not score against left-hander Brae Wright.
Scelfo opened the inning and reached base on third baseman Brian Pettway's second throwing error of the game. Scelfo was then erased when Belcher reached on a fielder's choice. Sosa followed with a base hit to put runners at first and second with only one out.
Belcher was then picked off second base, but shortstop Matt Tolbert was called for interference during the run down, allowing both runners to advance to second and third. After just missing a double down the left line, Bush reached on a fielder's choice as Belcher was erased at home by Pettway. Downs then drew a walk to load the bases, before Rice grounded out to end the inning.
In the eighth, Alabama put two more runners on base with one out, but did not score as Ole Miss turned a heads up double play that cut down pinch-runner Mark Haske at the plate for the final out.
Sosa lined a one-out single up the middle for his third hit of the game. Haske then pinch ran for Sosa and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Following the wild pitch, Bush was intentionally walked after Wright fell behind 3-0 in the count. Downs then reached on a fielder's choice as Bush was erased at second base. Haske never stopped coming around third and was out at home as backup catcher Justin Brashear blocked the plate to complete the double play.
Ole Miss had two chances in the first two inning against Wade LeBlanc. The Rebels had runners at first and third with one out in the first inning, but LeBlanc struck out the next two batters. Ole Miss also wasted a leadoff double by Charlie Babineaux in the second inning, leaving Babineuax at third to end the inning
After being held hitless for 5 1/3 innings, Ole Miss collected two hits in the eighth but did not score.
Catcher Barry Gunther reached on a one-out single up the middle for UM's first hit since the third inning. Drew Robinson pinch-ran for Gunther and Cooper Osteen singled through the right side on a 3-2 pitch. UA right fielder Gabe Scott came up firing and nailed Robinson, who was not running on the play, at third base for the second out. Matt Tolbert flied out to left to end the inning.
The series concludes with a 2 p.m. rubber game on Sunday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. UA will send freshman left-hander Brandon Belcher (6 G, 3 GS, 2-2, 3.90 ERA) to the mound against Ole Miss sophomore right-hander Stephen Head (7 G, 3 GS, 2-0, 3.48 ERA).
GAME NOTES:
*Freshman right fielder Michael McCallister missed today's game with an stomach illness.
*Three of the four errors in the game were made by the third basemen. Ole Miss' Brian Pettway made two errors, while UA's Matt Downs made one.
*Senior DH Carlos Sosa had three of the Crimson Tide's five hits on Saturday. He entered the game just 2-for-19 (.105) in his last six games.
*Three of Alabama's five hits were doubles in the win over Ole Miss, including one each by Bush, Sosa and Rice.
