LeBlanc Handcuffs Top-Ranked Miss. State, 5-3
4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama left-hander Wade LeBlanc took care of business on the mound and Brandon Belcher and Greg Paiml took care of the offense from the bottom two spots in the batting order as the No. 16 Crimson Tide handed No. 1 Mississippi State its second loss of the season with a 5-3 win in front of a season high 5,538 fans at a damp and humid Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Crimson Tide improved to 21-8 overall and 6-1 in SEC play, to take a 1 1/2 game lead over MSU in the Western Division race. MSU fell to 21-2 overall and 4-2 in league play. With the win, Alabama improves to 10-10 all-time against the No. 1 ranked team, including a 5-1 mark at the Joe.
LeBlanc (6-0) remained perfect on the season as he recorded his third complete game and second in SEC play with the win over the top-ranked Bulldogs. He allowed three runs and eight hits, with seven strikeouts and no walks. The MSU game marked the third time this season and second in SEC play that LeBlanc did not walk a batter.
"It all starts with the guy on the mound and LeBlanc pitched very well again," Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. "He did the job again. The guy on the mound dictates the pace of the game and he always gives us a shot to win."
Belcher led the Tide offense with a career-high three hits, while Paiml added an RBI triple for the Crimson Tide.
MSU broke a scoreless tie when third baseman Michael Rutledge hit a one-out solo home run to to left-center field in the top of the fifth inning. It was Rutledge's third home run of the season, tying Jeff Butts with for the team lead.
The lead was short-lived as the Crimson Tide answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Ryan Rhoden led off with a walk and moved to third on Spencer Pennington's single to right. Rhoden scored the tying run on Ed Easley's passed ball and Pennington took second base. After Brandon Belcher reached on an infield hit, Pennington scored the go-ahead run from third on a balk by MSU starter Brooks Dunn. Greg Paiml then ripped a triple to center to score Belcher the put the Tide up 3-1.
"We look for guys throughout the lineup to pick us and those guys at the bottom of the order have been doing a nice job," Wells said. "Belcher has been swinging the bat really well and Paiml had had some key hits of late."
The Crimson Tide extended its lead to 4-1 in the sixth inning. Evan Bush doubled over the head of center fielder Joseph Hunter, moved to third on Kody Valverde's fly out and scored on Alex Avila's single to left field, that fell in front of Butts.
Bama added another run in the seventh when Paiml tripled to center and scored on an error by Rutledge at third base as the Tide took a 5-1 lead.
State cut the lead to 5-3 in the eighth when Jeffrey Rea singled and scored on Easley's two-run home run.
Dunn (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season for MSU as he allowed five runs and eight hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out six.
Rea and Thomas Berkery led MSU with two hits each.
Belcher was the only UA player with more than one hit.
The two teams will meet again at 3:07 p.m. (CT) on Saturday. The Crimson Tide will also host its annual Fan Day and A-Day football game on Saturday. A limited number of tickets remain for Saturday and Sunday's games and tickets will go on sale at Fan Day, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
GAME NOTES:
*The start of the game was delayed 47 minutes by rain.
*Alabama improves to 10-10 all-time against the No.1 ranked team, including a 5-1 record here in Tuscaloosa.
*Alabama has now won five consecutive games.
*LeBlanc improves to 19-9 in his UA career on the mound, including a 9-6 mark in SEC. He is now 2-0 in his career against Miss. State in three starts. LeBlanc tied Mike Sodders (1985-88) for sixth place with his 13th career complete game. He is now seventh all-time with 262 1/3 career innings. LeBlanc also moved to fourth place on the school's all-time with his 268th strikeout. He needs 39 strikeouts to tie Brent Carter's (2002-05) all-time record of 307 strikeouts.
*LeBlanc has allowed a team-high seven home runs this season, including six solo shots. He has also allowed one home run in each of his last five starts.
*Salem extended his hitting streak 12 games with a first inning infield single. The 12-game hitting streak matches his career high.
*Belcher singled in his first at-bat in the third inning and has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games for the Tide. Belcher had a career high three hits in the win.
*Berkery extended his hitting streak to 20 games for MSU.
