Baseball Suffers 9-8 Loss in Back-and-Forth Contest with Ole Miss

Friday, April 26

Oxford, Miss.

6:30 p.m. CT

Alabama

27-16, 0

Ole Miss

23-19, 0

Alabama

Ole Miss

Baseball Suffers 9-8 Loss in Back-and-Forth Contest with Ole Miss

4/26/2024 11:07:00 PM | Baseball

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The Tide and Rebels traded leads all night with a two-run sixth proving the difference

OXFORD, Miss. – Alabama baseball's back-and-forth contest with Ole Miss favored the Rebels, 9-8, on Friday evening at Swayze Field. Following game two of the series, the 18^th-ranked Crimson Tide is 27-16 overall and 8-12 in Southeastern Conference action.

Ole Miss plated one in the first and two in the third to make it 3-0 after three innings. The Tide got on the board in the fourth thanks to a Justin Lebron solo homer and added four in the fifth, highlighted by a three-run home run off the bat of Will Hodo, to make it a 5-3 ballgame. Alabama's lead was short-lived, as the Rebs plated four of their own in the bottom of the fifth. The Tide drew even with two in the sixth, but, once again the Rebels answered, using a pair of solo homers in the bottom of the sixth to regain the advantage. Alabama was able to score one in the seventh but would get no closer for the 9-8 final.

The Tide offense was led by Lebron and Hodo, who each posted near identical 3-for-5 nights with a double, a homer and three RBI apiece while Lebron contributed two runs scored to Hodo's one. Ole Miss reliever Gunnar Dennis (4-2) was handed the win while Connor Spencer earned the save with a scoreless ninth. Braylon Myers (1-1) was tagged with the loss.

From Head Coach Rob Vaughn

"We just put too many guys on for free and weren't able to get a zero there in those middle innings. After we scored to take the lead (in the fifth), they respond with four and then we pump two up there to tie it up, but they answered immediately and get two right back. I didn't love the execution in some ways tonight, but the fight was there, and the competitiveness was there. Now we have a chance to go win a series on the road tomorrow."

How It Happened

B1 | The Rebels' leadoff man reached on a hit-by-pitch and eventually came around to score on a two-out RBI-double to right-center. (1-0, Ole Miss)
B3 | A single and a walk with two down put a pair aboard before a single through the right side scored one for the Rebs. After a hit-by-pitch loaded them up, a walk pushed across one more. (3-0, Ole Miss)
T4 | Justin Lebron sent a ball over the wall in center for a solo homer. (3-1, Ole Miss)
T5 | With runners at first and second and two down, Lebron narrowed the gap on a single through the right side to plate one. The bases were cleared in the next at-bat thanks to a Will Hodo three-run homer over the wall in center. (5-3, Alabama)
B5 | The Rebels used three hits and two walks to cross four runs and retake the lead. (7-5, Ole Miss)
T6 | Mac Guscette got aboard with a one-out double and was joined on base by Gage Miller, who was intentionally walked with two down. Ian Petrutz made them pay, singling to right to score one and put runners on the corners. Lebron followed with an RBI-double down the left field line to set the score even. (7-7)
B6 | The Rebels regained the advantage with back-to-back solo homers from Ethan Lege and Will Furniss. (9-7, Ole Miss)
T7 | TJ McCants got aboard with a one-out bunt single and moved to third on a pinch-hit single in the next at-bat from William Hamiter. Guscette then brought in McCants with a sac fly to left. (9-8, Ole Miss)

Postgame Notes

Alabama's offense has registered double-digit hits in 29 games overall, including seven of the last eight outings.
The Tide has totaled double-digit hits in 12 SEC matchups, including each of the last six dating back to the finale with Arkansas on April 14.
Alabama has homered in 31 contests for the season, including 24 games with two-or-more roundtrippers.
TJ McCants has recorded a hit in nine consecutive games. Over that stretch, the senior is batting .436 (17-39) with two doubles, one triple, a homer, six RBI, nine runs scored, two walks and one stolen base.
Justin Lebron extended his hitting streak to seven games. During the streak, Lebron is batting .500 (16-32) with two doubles, five home runs, 11 RBI, 12 runs and two hit-by-pitch.
Mac Guscette moved his hitting streak to six games. Across that time, the Tide backstop is batting .650 (13-20) with two doubles, three home runs, 15 RBI, eight runs, two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
Kade Snell has now recorded a hit in five straight games. Over the streak, the redshirt junior is batting .545 (12-22) with a double, one homer, six RBI, six runs scored and a hit-by-pitch.

Alabama and Ole Miss will decide the series on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide calls on freshman left-hander Zane Adams in the start while the Rebels look to sophomore righty Mason Nichols. The series finale will be broadcast nationally on SEC Network with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.

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