Alabama-Mississippi State Split Doubleheader
4/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SEC Combined Season Statistics 
Alabama, MSU Split SEC Double Header
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama baseball team routed the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 21-7, in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, but managed only four singles in a 6-4 loss in the nightcap to tumble into a tie for third place in the Southeastern Conference Western Division standings.
Following the doubleheader, Alabama now stands 21-19 overall, 7-10 in SEC play, while State is 16-21 overall and 4-13 in league play. The teams will play the final game of a three-game series on Sunday, April 20, at 2:06 p.m. (CDT) in a game that will be televised regionally by CSS Sports.
Alabama built a 4-1 lead through five innings, but watched MSU score twice in both the sixth and seventh innings to post the come-from-behind win.
Ninth position hitter Ryan Powers went 2-for-3 with one run scored and three RBI to key the State comeback. Powers' two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning closed the gap to 4-3, scoring Russ Sneed and Jet Butler.
MSU added two more runs in the seventh on successive two-out doubles by Tyler Moore and Sneed. Moore's double down the left field line landed one step in fair territory and sent Jason Nappi to third base. Sneed then delivered the big blow with a two-run double to score both runners and give the Bulldogs the lead for good. Sneed went 2-for-3 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI.
The Bulldogs tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning and chased Alabama starter Miers Quigley, who threw 125 pitches in 7 and 1/3 innings. Quigley gave up a one-out walk to Powers and a base hit to Grant Hogue before being replaced by freshman righthander Jimmy Nelson.
Nappi reached on an infield hit to load the bases before Nelson walked Cody Freeman to force home Powers to give MSU a 6-4 lead.
Quigley (4-3) allowed six runs and 11 hits in 7 and 1/3 innings, with five walks and five strikeouts in the loss.
MSU reliever Jon Lalor (2-3) benefitted from the rally to earn the win on the mound with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts. Aaron Weatherford pitched two scoreless innings for his fourth save of the year. He retired six of the seven batters he faced and struck out three.
Alabama scored all four of its runs in the fourth inning off MSU starter Rickey Bowen to take a 4-1 lead. Alabama used a combination of timely hits and two MSU errors to build a three-run lead.
Freshman second baseman Ross Wilson and junior center fielder Alex Kubal drew consecutive walks against to open the inning. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Wilson raced home after MSU catcher Brooks Lewis's throw to third base sailed into left field to tie the game at 1-1. Kubal took third on the play. Freshman shortstop Josh Rutledge followed with an RBI single up the middle to give Alabama a 2-1 lead. Sophomore left fielder Brandon May followed with a base hit to right field that sent Rutledge to third base. Bowen's second wild pitch of the inning scored Rutledge and May scored when Alex Avila reached on an error by first baseman Tyler Moore.
State had taken 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on Powers' two-out single up the middle to score Sneed. Sneed led off the inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a balk by Quigley. Sneed scored on Powers' base hit up the middle.
Alabama 21, Mississippi State 7 (Game 1)
The Crimson Tide had its best Southeastern Conference offensive output since the 2001 season with a resounding 21-7 win over the State in the first game of the doubleheader.
Wilson tied an Alabama record with two home runs in the Tide's eight-run seventh inning as Alabama cruised to the win in the series opener. He led off the inning with the solo home run off Forrest Moore and added a two-run home run off Greg Houston to cap the inning. Wilson went 3-for-4 in the win with two home runs and three RBI. He also scored three runs.
Avila was 2-for-2 with a triple and a home run, reaching base in all five plate appearances. He gave the Tide the lead with a two-run triple in the third inning and capped a six-run fourth with a three-run home run in center field.
Sophomore designated hitterDel Howell went 3-for-6, including his first career grand slam, in the Tide's eight-run seventh inning.
Alabama scored six runs in the fourth inning and blew the game open with an eight-run seventh inning to earn the win in the first game of a three-game SEC series.
State took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on Tyler Moore's two-out single. Alabama grabbed a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on Avila's two-run triple and Matt Bentley's RBI double.
The Tide scored six runs in the fourth to take a 9-1 lead. Jake Smith had an RBI double, Josh Rutledge added an RBI single and Avila capped the inning with a three-run home run, his team-leading 10th of the season.
MSU starter Chad Crosswhite (2-3) was charged with nine runs and nine hits in four innings and took the loss.
MSU designated hitter Cody Freeman's RBI single in the top of the fifth cut the lead to 9-2. Alabama center fielder Alex Kubal added an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to give the Tide a 10-2 lead.
The Bulldogs scored three times off UA starter Austin Hyatt in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 10-5. Ryan Duffy had an RBI double and Grant Hogue's sacrifice fly brought home another run. After Hyatt issued consecutive two-out walks, Ryan Powers scored on a wild pitch by Austin Graham to cut the lead to 10-5.
Hyatt (3-3) allowed five runs and 11 hits in 5 and 1/3 innings, with three walks and three strikeouts, to earn his first win for the Tide since a win over Youngstown State on March 8. Alabama right fielder Ryan Rhoden drove in two runs with a base hit to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Tide extended its lead to 12-5.
Wilson and Howell combined for three home runs in an eight-run seventh inning to blow the game wide open. Wilson led off the inning with a solo home run against Forrest Moore and capped the inning with a two-run home run off high school teammate Greg Houston (both attended Hoover High School). Bentley added an RBI single in the inning and Howell blasted his first career grand slam as the Crimson Tide built a 20-5 lead.
State scored two runs in the eighth inning off reliever Will Stroup. Freeman drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, while another scored on a error by Smith a third base. Kent Matthes' bases-loaded single in the bottom of the eighth scored Rutledge to make the final 21-7.
GAME NOTES:
*Alabama and Mississippi State combined for 37 runs and 52 hits in the doubleheader. The Crimson Tide had 24 runs and 26 hits, while the Bulldogs tallied 13 runs and 26 hits.
*UA freshman shortstop Josh Rutledge went 4-for-10 (.400) in the doubleheader and scored four runs while extending his hitting streak to 16 games. Rutledge also extended his hitting streak to 14 games in SEC play and has hit safely in 16 of 17 SEC games this year.
*Junior catcher Alex Avila was 3-for-6 in Saturday's doubleheader with three runs scored, one home run and five RBI. He hit safely in both games to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
*Sophomore left fielder Brandon May went 3-for-10 with four runs scored in the twinbill to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
*Freshman second baseman Ross Wilson went 3-for-6 at the plate in the doubleheader with four runs scored, two home runs and three RBI. Wilson tied an Alabama record with two home runs in the seventh inning of game one. The last player to hit two home runs in one inning was G.W. Keller in a 27-0 win over Niagara on March 7, 1999. Keller hit three home runs in that game on five total pitches.
*Alabama and Mississippi State combined for 38 hits in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. The Crimson Tide had a season-high 21 hits, including three doubles and four home runs. Alabama's four home runs tied a season high set previously against Youngstown State (March 7) and Tennessee (April 12).
*Alabama's 21 runs scored in game one of Saturday's doubleheader is the most scored by the Tide since a 23-1 win over McNeese State in 2005. The 21 runs were the most in an SEC game by Alabama since a 26-7 win at Kentucky in 2001.
*In Saturday's opener, the Crimson Tide posted its third 20-run performance in the 369-game series with Mississippi State. Alabama's 21 runs were the second-most ever scored by the Tide against the Bulldogs behind a 29-10 victory in 1943, the most runs scored in series history. The last time UA posted 20 runs on State was in a 20-1 win in 1946.
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