Crimson Tide Sweeps FIU
2/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Alabama 12, FIU 2 (Game 1)
Alabama 7, FIU 0 (Game 2)
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- The University of Alabama baseball scored 12 runs on 14 hits to win game one of its double header with Florida International Sunday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
In the night cap, freshman right-hander Tommy Hunter (Indianapolis, Ind.) only needed one run.
The Indianapolis, Ind., native threw eight shutout innings in his first career start as he pitched Alabama to a 7-0 win and double header sweep of FIU. The Crimson Tide won the first game 12-2.
“Tommy Hunter would have competed well against an SEC team the way he pitched today,” Alabama head coach Jim Wells. “He really did a nice job.”
Hunter (2-0) faced just one over the minimum through eight innings and allowed only two hits. He did not walk a batter and added six strikeouts. After allowing a leadoff single to Bryan Pullin in the first inning, Hunter retired the next 17 FIU hitters in order, before Pullin doubled to open the seventh inning.
“It was fun,” Hunter said. “I had a good time out there today. I was surprised I did as well as I did in my first start. I was just trying to get through five innings. That was my main focus.”
Alabama (8-3) scored the only run it would need in the nightcap when senior first baseman Spencer Pennington singled home senior catcher Kody Valverde with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning to stake the Tide to a 1-0 lead.
The Crimson Tide added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-0 lead. In the sixth, junior center fielder Emeel Salem was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to score freshman DH Alex Avila from third base. In the seventh, senior second baseman Evan Bush reached on a lead off single, stole second base and scored on Avila’s RBI single up the middle.
Alabama broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 7-0 lead. Salem reached on a two-out single and senior third baseman Matt Downs followed with a walk. Bush singled to left to score Salem and give the Tide a 4-0 lead. Senior backup catcher David Ferazza capped the scoring with a three-run home run down the left field line.
Ferazza, who played the last two innings of each game, went 2-for-2 on Sunday, with two home runs and five RBI.
“We had a couple of big innings late in the game in both games today,” Wells said. “It was also nice to see Ferazza continue his air assault.”
Kyle Preshong (1-2) took the loss for the Golden Panthers after giving up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked four and fanned two batters.
FIU (5-8) managed only three hits against Hunter and sophomore RHP David Robertson in the loss. Hunter pitched around a lead off double in the seventh and Robertson stranded a two-out triple in the ninth to preserve the shutout.
Alabama’s three shutouts this season have come in the last six games. Bama shutout Kent State 2-0 on Feb. 18 and blanked FIU 1-0 (Feb. 24) and 7-0 (Feb. 26) this weekend.
