Alabama
Illinois-Chicago
Late-Inning Surge Lifts Baseball Team Past Flames, 9-4
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama baseball team broke open a close game scoring eight runs over the final two innings en route to a 9-4 win over The University of Illinois-Chicago on a chilly Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
The Crimson Tide (3-0) scored three runs on four hits off UIC ace left-hander Chris Kovacevich in the decisive seventh inning to take a 4-1 lead and then broke the game open with a five-run eighth inning, highlighted by junior shortstop Josh Rutledge's first career grand slam.
With the score tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, UA freshman left fielder Brett Booth led off the inning with an infield hit and moved to second on senior catcher Cody Trotter's sacrifice bunt. Junior pinch-hitter John David Smelser followed with another infield hit, sending Booth to third with one out.
Sophomore center fielder Taylor Dugas snapped the 1-1 tie with a single to left to score Booth with the go-ahead run. Smelser took third on the base hit and then scored on junior shortstop Josh Rutledge's sacrifice fly to give the Tide a 3-1 lead. Junior second baseman Ross Wilson capped the rally with a two-out single to left to score Rutledge and give Alabama a 4-1 lead.
Kovacevich (0-2) took the loss as he allowed four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings with two walks and five strikeouts in his 117-pitch performance in his second start of the season.
Alabama then broke the game open with a five-run eighth inning, capped by Rutledge's first career grand slam. The Cullman, Ala., native's sixth career home run put Alabama up 9-1. Rutledge finished the game with one hit and he matched his career high with five RBI. The home run was the only extra base hit for the Tide, who finished the game with 12 hits.
While Wilson had a hand in the Tide's three-run seventh inning, it was his 11-pitch at-bat against the left-hander in the sixth that turned the tide. Leading off the sixth, Wilson slammed the 11th pitch of the at-bat off the right hip of Kovacevich giving Alabama its first base runner since the third inning. He moved to second on a balk and then took third on a wild pitch before Smith's sacrifice fly brought home Wilson and tied the game at 1-1.
"That was the key to the game," Alabama head baseball coach Mitch Gaspard said. "Everything we talk about and preach every day. It was just a mentally tough at-bat where he hung in there. Then to finish it off the way he did, and obviously he comes around to score the tying run right there. We needed it because (UIC starter Chris) Kovacevich had us bottled up pretty good and I thought that gave us a little spurt. We were able to take it from there."
The Alabama outfield threw out two UIC runners at home plate to end the second and third innings as the game remained scoreless. Dugas relayed to Wilson, who threw out Ryan Meehan to end the second inning. In the third, Tinsley relayed to Wilson, who fired another strike to Trotter, who tagged out Andy Leonard for the final out.
The Flames (1-4) finally got on the board in the fifth when third baseman Jason Ganek led off with a double to left field. Ganek moved to third base when Ryan Boss' sacrifice bunt was mishandled by Morgan. Steve McGuiggan then laid down a bunt single to score Ganek and put the Flames up 1-0.
Sophomore left-hander Adam Morgan held UIC to one run and seven hits through five innings, but was not involved in the decision. He added six strikeouts and walked one.
Junior right-hander Nathan Kilcrease (1-0) worked three perfect innings in relief of Morgan. He struck out three in his first win of the season. The Phenix City, Ala., native has retired all 12 batters he has faced this season and has a win and hold in two relief appearances.
The Flames added three runs in the ninth off freshman left-hander Adam Windsor, who was making his UA debut. Nathan Orf and McGuiggan had RBI doubles in the inning.
Alabama and UIC will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 27, beginning at 12:05 p.m. (CT). The Tide will send junior right hander Jimmy Nelson and junior left-hander Jonathan Smart to the mound. Fans attending the Alabama-Mississippi men's basketball game can receive free admission to the doubleheader.
GAME NOTES
*Alabama scored eight runs in its final two at-bats to post a 9-4 win on Friday night in the series opener with UIC. The Crimson Tide scored three runs in the seventh and five in the eighth for its third win of the season and its seventh straight home win dating back to 2009.
*Alabama senior right fielder Cal Tinsley made his first start of the 2010 season bringing the number of different starters to 16 in the first three games for the Crimson Tide, including 14 position players and two pitchers.
*The Alabama defense recorded two outfield assists in the win over UIC. Taylor Dugas threw out Ryan Meehan at home plate for the final out of the second inning and Tinsley threw out Andy Leonard at home to end the third. Wilson was the relay man in both outfield assists.
*Junior outfielder John David Smelser and redshirt freshman outfielder Brandt Hendricks recorded their first career hits on Friday night
*Josh Rutledge had the Tide's first stolen base of the season when he stole second base in the first inning. Rutledge also hit his first career grand slam and the first by an Alabama player since Alex Kubal's grand slam at Mississippi State on May 1, 2009 in Starkville.
*Kent Matthes, the 2009 SEC Player of the Year, threw out the first pitch for Friday's series opener with UIC. A 2009 consensus first-team All-American, he hit .358 with a school-record 28 home runs and 81 RBI. In addition, 16 of his 28 home runs either tied the game or gave Alabama the lead, including 10 go-ahead home runs. He was twice named National and SEC Player of the Week. He hit for the cycle on Feb. 24 against Nicholls State and followed that up with a walk-off 10th inning home run the next day. He was fourth round draft pick by the Colorado Rockies and will report to spring training next week.
POST GAME QUOTES
Head Coach Mitch Gaspard
On junior right hander Nathan Kilcrease's performance:
"He was outstanding. He came in at a point where we had just tied the game and he really settled the game down. He was nine-for-nine, he got all nine guys out that he faced. Just was really sharp. They were really getting some good swings off (starting pitcher) Adam (Morgan) tonight. They had a good approach, they were looking for fastball early in the count and hit some balls pretty good. Then when (Kilcrease) came in the game the whole tempo kind of changed. He was really sharp for the three innings."
On Ross Wilson's 11-pitch at-bat in the sixth inning:
"That was the key to the game. Everything we talk about and preach every day. It was just a mentally tough at-bat where he hung in there. Then to finish it off the way he did, and obviously he comes around to score the tying run right there. We needed it because (UIC starter Chris) Kovacevich had us bottled up pretty good and I thought that gave us a little spurt. We were able to take it from there."
Junior Second Baseman Ross Wilson
On how the game went:
"That was a good win for us. I think pitching was the key. (Alabama starting pitcher Adam) Morgan just gave up one run and kept us in the game by putting up a few zero's. We battled back late, got some hits. Their guy (UIC starter Chris Kovacevich) had a good start against us. We didn't get rattled or shaken, we just kind of stayed with the plan and we ended up getting a few runs late."
On his 11-pitch at-bat in the sixth inning:
"I got down 0-2 early and I was trying to get back to 2-2. I just kept fouling off pitches. I think it got a little momentum for us; we got the run that inning and got a little momentum on our side. That was a big inning for us."
Junior Shortstop Josh Rutledge
On his grand slam:
"It was great. We battled all game, then later people started getting on (base) and then it just opened up from there. I guess we felt like we got (the monkey off our back) and started scoring more runs and had great pitching all game."
On the being at home and the team chemistry:
"It's great, everybody loves playing here. We all get along great so that makes it even better."
