Alabama
South Alabama
Late Runs Prove Costly in Baseball’s 5-4 Loss to South Alabama
4/9/2024 10:17:00 PM | Baseball
The Jaguars scored three in the eighth to take the lead for good
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball suffered a 5-4 loss to South Alabama on Tuesday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Following the midweek matchup, the Crimson Tide is now 22-11 on the season.
Alabama collected four runs with two outs in the third to build an early advantage. The Jaguars answered with single tallies in the fourth and fifth to cut the deficit in half and make it a 4-2 affair after five. In the eighth, South Alabama rallied with two outs, using a two-run double and an RBI-single to take a 5-4 lead. Alabama had runners in scoring position in the eighth and reached a man in the ninth but could not rally back.
The Crimson Tide received a solid start from Kade Snell, with the left-hander allowing two runs on five hits and a pair of walks while striking out a career-high six. Logan Wash (2-1) picked up the win while Gant Starling earned his first save. Aidan Moza (2-2) was handed the loss.
From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"Kade (Snell) gave us a great start. Jansen Kenty threw the ball well. (Coulson) Buchanan threw the ball well, and (Alton Davis II) was great there at the end. We had four two-out RBI in the third, which is good. But now we have a decision to make as we move forward. We have done really great things up to this point. We have also done some things inconsistently up to this point. A great team is one that can respond when things aren't going well. We will have heck of an opportunity to do that on Friday night. It is our job to come out and prepare these next two days to take on the No. 1 team in the country and play one game at a time."
How It Happened
- B3 | Evan Sleight was hit by a pitch to start the inning before moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. Sleight then came in on a two-out RBI-single from Gage Miller. A single by TJ McCants put two aboard for Ian Petrutz, who scored one with a single and advanced to second on the throw to put a pair in scoring position for Will Hodo. Hodo proceeded to clear the bases with a two-run double to right. (4-0, Alabama)
- T4 | Lucas Ismaili homered to right to get the Jaguars on the board. (4-1, Alabama)
- T5 | Joseph Sullivan cut into the lead with a solo home run. (4-2, Alabama)
- T8 | A two-out rally that consisted of a two-run double and an RBI-single added three to give USA the lead. (5-4, South Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- Kade Snell struck out a season-high six batters in his start. Snell's previous high for strikeouts was four which he had against Belmont on March 26 in Huntsville.
- Jansen Kenty recorded his fifth scoreless outing in a row. The five straight appearances without allowing a run are the most by a Crimson Tide reliever this season.
- Gage Miller has reached base safely in all 32 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.
- ATTENDANCE: 3,076
Alabama will return to the diamond on Friday to begin a three-game series with top-ranked Arkansas. The Crimson Tide and Razorbacks are slated for a 6 p.m. CT start followed by a 5 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. The series wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m. with all three games being broadcast on SEC Network+.
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