Alabama
Auburn
Auburn Rallies Past Alabama, 8-7
3/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 10, 2009
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Auburn scored two runs in the ninth inning to erase a one-run deficit en route to an 8-7 win over Alabama in the 2009 MAX Capital City Classic in front of 7,489 fans at Montgomery's Riverwalk Stadium Tuesday night.
Alabama (8-4) scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, capped by Jake Smith's go-ahead, two-run home run, to give the Tide its first lead of the game at 7-6.
Auburn shortstop Casey McElroy started the ninth inning with a triple to center off UA closer Jimmy Nelson. Justin Hargett's sacrifice fly to left field tied the game at 7-7. AU center fielder Trent Mummey doubled past first baseman Wes Henderson and scored on Ben Jones' two-out double.
Nelson (1-1) allowed two runs and three hits in the ninth inning for his first loss of the season. The two runs were the first runs allowed by the Alabama sophomore this season and snapped a streak of 19 1/3 innings without an earned run by the Tide bullpen, including five innings on Tuesday night.
"It was a real good game," Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. "There were a lot of good things about the game, our ability to comeback against a good team. I thought (Austin) Graham and (Austin) Evans pitched well. We had the dramatic comeback and Jake had a big hit, but we have to finish the game."
Auburn right-hander Zack Blatt (1-0) retired all six batters he faced for the win.
Alabama rallied from a 6-3 deficit to take a 7-6 lead in the eighth inning on Smith's third home run in his last four games.
Sophomore second baseman Ross Wilson opened the inning with an infield single and easily scored on senior catcher Vin DiFazio's double to left-center field. AU right-hander Taylor Thompson replaced Michael Hurst and was greeted by an RBI double by freshman Taylor Dugas as UA cut the lead to 6-5. Smith then capped the rally with a two-run home run to left-center field to give Alabama a 7-6 lead.
The lead was short-lived as Auburn scored twice in the ninth off Nelson to retake the lead.
Auburn (10-4) took advantage of first-inning control problems from UA starter David Head to take a 3-0 lead. Head walked the first two batters of the game and then gave up a three-run double to Brian Fletcher in a 38-pitch top of the first inning.
Mummey's seventh home run of the season gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead in the second inning. The home run extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
Alabama answered with three runs in the bottom of the third inning on Kent Matthes' NCAA-leading 10th home run of the season. Matthes' drove a 2-2 pitch over the center field wall as the Tide cut the lead to 4-3. Matthes has now hit safely in all 12 games this season.
Senior center fielder Alex Kubal led off the inning and reached on a throwing error by second baseman Justin Hargett. Sophomore shortstop Josh Rutledge was hit by a pitch to put runners and first and second with no outs. Brandon May struck out and Clay Jones flied to left before Matthes blasted his 10th home run over the center field wall.
Auburn added two more runs in the fourth inning when Kevin Patterson scored on a passed ball by Kyle Moore and Tony Caldwell scored on Hargett's squeeze bunt to give AU a 6-3 lead.
"We got behind the eight-ball early," Wells said. "The key inning was the fourth inning when we had a couple of breakdowns and gave them two runs."
Head went three-plus innings and allowed five runs and four hits, with four strikeouts and three walks.
AU starter Paul Burnside walked two batters in the fifth inning before being replaced by Michael Hurst. Wilson greeted Hurst with a fly ball to center for the second out, before catcher Vin DiFazio was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Taylor Dugas popped up to short on a 3-2 pitch as the Tide left the bases loaded.
Burnside allowed three unearned runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings, with four walks and four strikeouts in the no decision.
Alabama will host the Samford Bulldogs on Wednesday, March 11, at 6:35 p.m. (CST) to open a six-game home stand. The Crimson Tide opens Southeastern Conference play this weekend when the No. 1 ranked and defending league champion Georgia Bulldogs come to Sewell-Thomas Stadium for a three-game series, beginning Friday, March 13, at 6:35 p.m. (CST).
GAME NOTES:
*Alabama and Auburn met in the 2009 MAX Capital City Classic. The game drew the second-largest crowd in Riverwalk Stadium history with 7,489 fans attending the game. The record was set with 7,518 fans for the Montgomery Biscuits and Jacksonville Suns on April 19, 2008.
*Senior right fielder Kent Matthes extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a three-run home run to center field in the third inning. Matthes has homered in nine of his last 11 games for the Tide.
*Sophomore right-hander Jimmy Nelson allowed two runs in the ninth inning to snap a streak of 19 1/3 consecutive innings by the Tide bullpen without allowing an earned run. The Alabama bullpen has all four losses this season.
