Late Offense Helps Baseball to 6-1 Win over Middle Tennessee

Tuesday, February 20

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

4 p.m. CT

Alabama

4-0

Middle Tennessee

2-2

Middle Tennessee

Alabama

Late Offense Helps Baseball to 6-1 Win over Middle Tennessee

2/20/2024 7:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Photo Gallery Postgame Press Conference

The Tide added three insurance runs over the final two frames to ensure the Tuesday victory

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball used some late offense to pull away from Middle Tennessee for a 6-1 win on Tuesday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With the victory, the Crimson Tide is now 4-0 on the season.

Alabama gained an early advantage with a two-run third inning, but the lead was soon cut in half when Middle Tennessee got on the board with one run in the fourth. The Tide bounced right back with a run in the fifth before adding a single tally in the seventh followed by a two-run eighth to pull away for the 6-1 final.

The two-run eighth was highlighted by back-to-back home runs from Bryce Eblin and Gage Miller. Eblin led the Crimson Tide offense, spotting the stat sheet with a 2-for-3 showing that included a triple, the homer, one RBI, a walk, one stolen base and a team-high three runs scored. Also homering was TJ McCants, with the senior adding a walk, one run and a team-leading three RBI.

Alabama's pitching staff was outstanding once again. Greg Farone got the start, tossing 2.2 scoreless frames with a walk and five strikeouts before turning it over to the bullpen. Zane Probst was first out followed by Austin Morris (1-0), who earned the win with 3.0 scoreless innings and four punchouts compared to only one hit. Braylon Myers then closed things out for his first save of the season, tossing 2.0 scoreless with one hit and three strikeouts.

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

"Greg Farone was great, and Zane Probst competed his tail off for us. Austin Morris was also great, and then Braylon Myers came in and was outstanding. When you throw the ball like that, it gives your offense a chance when you're trying to find your way a little bit, it gives you some time. This wasn't the game where you go out and score 15 and bully someone off the field, but it was a really competitive game, and we'll take the win."

How It Happened

B3 | Bryce Eblin led off the inning with a walk to put a man aboard. One out later, TJ McCants sent a ball down the line in right that went over the wall for a two-run homer. (2-0, Alabama)
T4 | With a runner on third and two down, a single to right got the Blue Raiders on the board. (2-1, Alabama)
B5 | Eblin sent the second pitch he saw into right-center for a leadoff triple. McCants brought him home one out later on a groundout to double the Tide lead. (3-1, Alabama)
B7 | With two on and two down, a throwing error on a ground ball by Mac Guscette added one more. (4-1, Alabama)
B8 | The Tide went back-to-back with Eblin and Gage Miller each notching a solo homer. (6-1, Alabama)

Postgame Notes

Alabama has now won 13 straight games in the month of February with the last loss coming on Feb. 27, 2021.
The Crimson Tide pitching staff finished with 12 strikeouts and has totaled double-digit strikeouts in all four games this season.
Alabama's offense posted two triples in today's game. It marked the first time the Tide has recorded a pair of triples in the same game since April 23, 2021, at Kentucky.
Bryce Eblin and Gage Miller went back-to-back with home runs in the eighth inning. It was the first time the Tide has hit back-to-back homers since Dominic Tamez and Andrew Pinckney did so at Missouri on April 21 of last season.
ATTENDANCE: 3,271

Alabama will return to the diamond on Wednesday for another midweek pairing at The Joe, this one with Alabama State. The Crimson Tide and Hornets are scheduled for a 4 p.m. CT first pitch on SEC Network+.

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