Tide Comeback Falls Short, 10-9
2/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Tide Comeback Falls Short, 10-9
Ross Wilson has three hits and four RBI for Alabama
FRISCO, Texas ?? The University of Alabama baseball spotted the Texas-Arlington Mavericks an eight-run lead after four innings and then nearly pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in school history while falling one-run short in a 10-9 loss in the in first-round action at the 2008 Southwest Diamond Classic at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.
Alabama (1-3) trailed 10-4 with two outs in the ninth inning before plating five runs and putting the tying and potential winning runs on base for junior pinch-hitter Vin DiFazio. Facing left-hander Jeff Edlefsen, DiFazio stroked a long fly ball to left field that was caught by Preston McCoy just shy of the wall to end the game.
Freshman second baseman Ross Wilson started the ninth inning rally with a triple over the head of center fielder Michael Choice. Junior catcher Alex Avila followed with an RBI single to right and senior first baseman Matt Bentley smacked a two-run home run to left-center to pull the Tide to within 10-7.
Sophomore left fielder Brandon May laced a single to right and junior right fielder Kent Matthes doubled into the left field corner to put runners at second and third and chase right-hander Jeff Nollen. Freshman right-hander Marcus Limon replaced Nollen and promptly gave up a two-run single to junior DH Ryan Rhoden as the Tide cut the lead to 10-9.
UTA called on Edlefsen out the pen and Alabama sent DiFazio, who was making is collegiate debut, to the plate with the game on the line. DiFazio just missed a three-run home run when his fly ball was caught just shy of the warning track as Edlefsen preserved the win with his first save.
Wilson almost single-handedly brought the Tide back with a three-hit, four RBI game and his first career home run in the seventh inning as UA pulled to within 8-4.
“Ross Wilson is a great player,” Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. “It started with the first game and has carried through today. He knows what he is doing out there. He is fearless. He knows the game and how to play. He is a special player.”
Alabama dug itself an 8-0 hole after four innings before making a late-inning run.
The Mavericks (3-4) were led on offense by senior first baseman Danny Slinkman, who had three hits and five RBI in the win.
UTA took advantage of a two-out walk followed by a hit by pitch to score three runs in the second inning off Phares to take a 3-0 lead. Phares hit nine-hole hitter Jay Pitschka to force in the first run and Choice followed with a two-run single to right to give the Mavericks a three-run lead.
The Mavericks stretched the lead to 8-0 with a five-run fourth inning. Chad Comer and Choice tallied RBI singles in the inning to chase Phares from the mound and Slinkman added a three-run double to give the Mavs an eight-run lead.
Phares (0-1) gave up six runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings in his first career start on the mound. Freshman right-hander Connor Hoehn made his collegiate debut, facing two batters in the fourth, and junior Casey Kebodeaux turned in another good outing with 4 1/3 innings in relief.
“Kebodeaux pitched well,” Wells added. “Our pitching staff is not like the ones in year’s past. We need to be similar to UTA and fill up the zone more. We are not going to strike a lot of guys out. We need five or six inning from out starters. We will continue to run guys out there until we do.”
Alabama put two runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning to snap a streak of nearly 14 consecutive scoreless innings. Wilson’s two-out double into the left field corner scored Jeff Texada and Josh Rutledge to cut the gap to 8-2 Wilson’s first career home run, a towering two-run shot that landed on the street beyond the left-field fence, cut the UTA lead to 8-4 in the seventh inning.
UTA scored two runs on Slinkman’s two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 10-4 lead.
Alabama will play Nevada in second round action of the Southwest Diamond Classic on Friday, Feb. 29, at 2 p.m. Junior right-hander Austin Hyatt (1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) is expected to make his first start of the season against the Wolf Pack.
GAME NOTES:
*Alabama, Dallas Baptist, Nevada and UT Arlington make up the field at the 2008 Southwest Diamond Classic at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas.
*The Southwest Diamond Classic marks the Crimson Tide’s 26th all-time regular season tournament, dating back to the Rollins College Tournament in 1949. Alabama is 50-51-1 all-time in regular season tournament action, including Thursday’s game with UT Arlington.
*The Crimson Tide continued its two-out success with another solid game on Thursday. UA hitters were 11-for-20 (.550) and scored seven of the nine runs against the Mavericks with two outs.
*Freshman shortstop Ross Wilson (Hoover, Ala.) went 3-for-5 with three extra base hits and four RBI in the loss to UTA. He missed hitting for the cycle by a single. Wilson hit his first career home run in the seventh inning on Thursday.
*Senior first baseman Matt Bentley (Huntsville, Ala.) went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in the ninth inning on Thursday.
*Junior right-hander Robert Phares (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) made his first start on the mound against UTA. A transfer from Shelton State Community College, Phares was 15-8 with a 2.68 ERA and three complete games in his junior college career. He pitched 160 2/3 innings and recorded 150 strikeouts.
*Freshman right-hander Connor Hoehn (Damascus, Md.) made his collegiate debut on the mound Thursday against UTA. Hoehn is the eighth UA player to make his collegiate debut this season.
*Alabama did not allow a first inning run for the first time this season. The Tide has been outscored 6-2 in the first inning in its first four games of the 2008 season.
*All nine UA starters had at least one hit in the loss to UTA.
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