Tide Clinches Series With No. 1 Miss. State, 5-4
4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Mississippi State (21-3, 4-3 SEC) scored three runs in the final three innings to close the gap to 5-4 and then brought the tying and go-ahead runs to the plate in the ninth inning against sophomore right-handed closer David Robertson, before senior first baseman Brad Jones struck out to end the game to give Alabama head coach Jim Wells his 500th win with the Crimson Tide.
Robertson worked 2 2/3 innings for his sixth save of the season. He allowed three runs and three hits, with three walks and six strikeouts.
MSU cut the deficit to 5-2 in the eighth inning with a two-out rally. Pinch-hitter Wyn Diggs reached on two-out infield single and scored on Jeff Butts' RBI double.
The Bulldogs quickly cut the margin to 5-4 in the ninth inning when Ed Easley led off with a walk and scored on senior shortstop Thomas Berkery's two-run home run to left field.
Robertson bounced back to get the next two hitters before Brian LaNinfa drew a walk in an 11-pitch plate appearance that saw him foul off five, two-strike pitches. Robertson then fanned Jones to end the game.
Alabama (22-8, 7-1 SEC) is off to its best start in SEC play in 51 years. The last time the Crimson Tide started the conference season with a 7-1 record was 1955.
"It was a great game," Wells said. "We had a great crowd, a great atmosphere and it was a well played game. It was all you could ask for today."
Alabama had the momentum early and built a 4-0 lead through two innings as they scored two runs in each of the first two innings.
The Crimson Tide took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first against MSU starter Josh Johnson. Junior centerfielder Emeel Salem led off the game with a single and moved to second when Joseph Hunter bobbled the ball in center field. Downs reached on a sacrifice fielder's choice when MSU catcher Ed Easley failed to retire Salem at third base.
Bush gave the Tide a 1-0 lead with a sharp single to center to score Salem from third. Valverde then plated Downs with a sac fly to center to put the Tide up 2-0.'
Salem's two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning doubled the lead to 4-0. It was Salem's second career home run and first in 99 games and 254 at-bats, dating back to April 21, 2004 against Samford.
"(Johnson) got better as the game went along," Wells said. "We were fortunate to get the early lead. We did not have a lot of opportunities and took advantage of them. It all kind of worked for us today."
Salem and Bush had five of Alabama's six hits in Saturday's win. Salem went 3-for-4 and scored two runs, while Bush was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Freshman RF Ryan Rhoden had the other hit for UA.
Mississippi State had base runners in eight of the nine innings, but could not come up with the timely hit. State was 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position, including 0-for-3 with the bases loaded.
MSU wasted back-to-back leadoff singles in the fourth inning and then left the bases loaded in fifth and seventh innings. The Bulldogs left 12 men on base in the loss.
State scored an unearned run in the fifth to cut the deficit to 4-1 when Berkery drew a bases loaded walk to score Micheal Rutledge. After loading the bases with no outs, State left the bases loaded when Robert got Hunter on a force play to end the inning.
UA starter Bernard Robert (4-1) held the SEC's top hitting team to one unearned run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings for his third straight SEC win. He added a season high four walks and a season-high seven strikeouts.
Johnson (4-1) suffered his first loss of the year for MSU. He allowed five runs and six his in seven innings, with two walks and three strikeouts.
Alabama scored another two-out run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 5-1 lead. Downs drew a two-out walk, moved to second on Johnson's wild pitch and scored on Bush's RBI double to center field.
Johnson and Mike Valentine retired 10 of the last 11 batters they faced as State's late-inning rally fell one-run short.
The two teams close out this three-game series with a 2:06 p.m. (CT) game on Sunday. The game will be televised in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana by the Alabama Cable Network and Jumbo Sports.
Alabama will send freshman right-hander Tommy Hunter (4-2, 3.27 ERA) to the mound against MSU sophomore right-hander Jon Lalor (2-0, 3.80 ERA).
GAME NOTES:
*The attendance for Saturday's game was a stadium record 6,821 fans. The previous high was 6,621 set against LSU on March 29, 2003. The sellout today at the Joe was the first by Alabama since that former record-setting day in 2003.
*Alabama head coach Jim Wells picked up his 500th win at the Capstone on Saturday. Wells is 500-233 (.682) in 733 games with the Tide.
*Alabama is 7-1 in SEC play for the first time since 1955.
*Alabama has won its first three SEC series of the season. The Crimson Tide has beaten No. 23 Georgia, Ole Miss and No. 1 Miss. State in the first three weekends. The last time UA opened the season with three straight SEC series wins was against Georgia, Florida and Tennessee in 1996.
*The Crimson Tide improved to 11-10 all-time against the No. 1 ranked team. Alabama has five consecutive series wins over the top-ranked team, with series wins over Miami (1995), Miss. State (1989), Auburn (1995), LSU (1997) and Miss. State (2006).
*Salem extended his hitting streak to a career best 13 games with a first inning single to center.
*Robert improved to 4-1 on the season with his third straight SEC win on Saturday. Alabama is 6-1 in his seven starts this year.
