Late Rally Falls Short in Baseball’s 9-8 Loss to 10th-Ranked South Carolina

Saturday, March 30

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

1 p.m. CT

Alabama

21-7, 4-5

South Carolina

21-7, 5-4

South Carolina

Alabama

Late Rally Falls Short in Baseball’s 9-8 Loss to 10th-Ranked South Carolina

3/30/2024 5:29:00 PM | Baseball

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

The Tide plated four in the ninth and had the tying and go-ahead runners aboard but could not complete the comeback

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball's ninth-inning comeback fell just short in a 9-8 loss to 10^th-ranked South Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Following the series finale, the 15^th-ranked Crimson Tide moved to 21-7 overall and 4-5 in Southeastern Conference play.

Alabama built a four-run advantage to start the day, plating one apiece in the second and fourth with a two-run third in between. South Carolina was able to answer, chipping away with a two-run fifth and one in the sixth to make it a one-run ballgame headed to the seventh. In that seventh, the Gamecocks plated five to take the lead before adding an insurance run in the top of the eighth. That extra run would prove crucial, as the Tide rallied for four in the ninth.

The Tide opened the frame with three straight singles before a groundout to first scored one. The Gamecocks then recorded the inning's second out to bring Gage Miller to the plate. The junior proceeded to plate a pair with a triple to right. He came home in the next at-bat on a single from TJ McCants, which forced an SC pitching change. The new arm issued a walk to put two on before a single from Evan Sleight moved everyone up 90 feet. On that single a throw behind the runner at third got the final out to help South Carolina salvage the series with a 9-8 victory.

The win went to South Carolina reliever Ty Good (4-0), who worked 3.0 scoreless frames with one hit, a walk and four strikeouts. Chris Veach recorded his first save of the season despite a hit and walk allowed in his 0.1 of an inning. Tyler Fay (1-1) suffered the loss for Alabama.

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

"I told our group afterwards that we were not going to hang our heads about anything. We had a good weekend. We played good today, but we just were not good enough. We told them if we want to become who we can be as a team, then we have to be finishers in everything we do. I really didn't think we finished that game well, in general, from about the time Greg (Farone) came out."

How It Happened

B2 | Will Hodo went opposite field for a solo homer. (1-0, Alabama)
B3 | Max Grant added one with a solo home run to right. Following the homer, Gage Miller doubled down the line in right before a single through the right side from Ian Petrutz brought him in one out later. (3-0, Alabama)
B4 | Hodo notched his second solo homer of the day, sending it over the wall in left once again. (4-0, Alabama)
T5 | Dylan Brewer hit a two-run home run to get the Gamecocks on the board. (4-2, Alabama)
T6 | A one-out single followed by a double added a run for SC. (4-3, Alabama)
T7 | The Gamecocks scored five runs on five hits, two free passes and an error to take the lead. (8-4, South Carolina)
T8 | With a runner at third and two down, a wild pitch brought across a run for the Gamecocks. (9-4, South Carolina)
B9 | Three straight singles loaded the bases to start the inning. Pinch-hitter William Hamiter then brought in a run with a groundout to first. After a second out was recorded, Miller added two runs with a triple. TJ McCants immediately brought home Miller with a single, forcing an SC pitching change in the process. After a walk to Petrutz put two aboard, a single from Evan Sleight led to a play at third base with a throw behind the runner ending the rally. (9-8, South Carolina)

Postgame Notes

Eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit on Saturday.
Alabama racked up 12 hits and has recorded double-digit hits in 21 of 28 contests, including six of the nine total SEC matchups.
Alabama has homered in 21 games overall, including 15 multi-homer efforts.
Will Hodo posted a two-homer game, the second of his career. He also hit two home runs in game one of the doubleheader against Lipscomb earlier this season on March 9.
The Tide bats have totaled five multi-homer performances on the season with the most recent being TJ McCants' three-homer game at Alabama State on March 19.
Gage Miller has reached base safely in all 27 games that he has played in. That is the longest reached base streak by a Crimson Tide hitter since Taylor Dugas' 34-game streak to start the 2012 season. The 34-game stretch was part of Dugas' 46-game streak overall that included the final 12 games of the 2011 campaign.
Ian Petrutz has reached base in 16 consecutive games.
Kade Snell has recorded a hit in eight consecutive games. Over that streak, the redshirt junior is batting .414 (12-29) with two doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI, nine runs scored and a pair of walks.
ATTENDANCE: 4,536

The Crimson Tide will return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 2 when UA travels up the road to Samford for a midweek matchup. The two in-state foes are scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch at Joe Lee Griffin Field with the game airing on ESPN+.

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