Baseball Falls Late to Seventh-Ranked LSU, 7-5

Sunday, March 20

Baton Rouge, La.

1:00 p.m

Alabama

13-6, 2-1

LSU

14-5, 1-2

Alabama

LSU

Baseball Falls Late to Seventh-Ranked LSU, 7-5

3/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 20, 2016

BATON ROUGE, La. - Alabama baseball fell to seventh-ranked LSU, 7-5, as a six-run eighth proved the difference on Sunday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium. With the loss, the Crimson Tide moves to 13-6 overall and 2-1 in SEC play.

"You have to look at the big picture - our guys played their tails off all weekend, and we put ourselves in position to win games," said Alabama head coach Mitch Gaspard. "You leave Baton Rouge 2-1 and you win the series. It's a nice addition to our record, and it is a good way to get SEC play started. Most importantly, our team is starting to learn what they can be after this weekend, and there are a lot of positives that we can take away from this series."

Alabama carried a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, but a string of five hits by LSU led to a six-run frame as the Tigers took their first lead of the weekend at 7-4. The Crimson Tide did not go quietly, putting together a ninth-inning rally.

Chandler Avant led off the final inning with a single before Cobie Vance scored the Crimson Tide leadoff man with a two-out double to right field to make it a 7-5 game. Chance Vincent followed with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball in the next at-bat to put two in scoring position for Georgie Salem. The senior dug in and battled, but a borderline strike three call ended the game with Salem looking to give the Tigers their lone win of the weekend.

Hunter Webb kicked off the day's action with a leadoff single in the first frame of Sunday's finale. A sac bunt moved him to second and then a two-out single to center by Cody Henry scored Webb and gave Alabama an early 1-0 lead. The Tide added one more in the third, using a leadoff single from Daniel Cucjen to start the rally. A sac bunt moved the Cucjen to second and a wild pitch put him at third for Chandler Avant. The Tide shortstop delivered with a single through the left side to move the lead to 2-0.

In the fifth, LSU reached on a fielding error and then two outs later used a single to cross their first run of the day and set the score at 2-1. Chandler Taylor provided the Tide with two more runs in the seventh, sending a home run into the stands in right to push Alabama's lead to 4-1. Taylor's team-leading fourth homer and second of the weekend plated Cucjen who singled to begin the inning.

LSU's eighth inning rally proved the difference with the Tigers scoring six to secure the win. A leadoff walk was followed by a pair of singles to load the bases, before a single up the middle scored two to make it a 4-3 game. Following an Alabama pitching change, the Tigers loaded the bases again and then singled to right. The fly ball got lost in the sun and fell behind Taylor, eventually leading to three runs scored as the Tigers took their first lead of the weekend. Two outs later, LSU scored its seventh run of the game on a single through the left side that led to an error in left that allowed a second run to score on the play and make it a 7-4 game.

Alabama did not go quietly in the ninth, but a strikeout looking with two in scoring position ended the game and the Tide's chances at a series sweep in Baton Rouge.

Next up for the Crimson Tide is a trip to Birmingham to face off with the UAB Blazers. The two teams are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT contest at Regions Field, the home of the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The matchup will be the 81st meeting between the two in-state rivals, with Alabama owning the all-time advantage, 47-23.

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