Alabama
4-0
Middle Tennessee
1-3
Alabama Baseball Takes Down Middle Tennessee, 12-2
2/18/2025 9:42:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide used a walkoff home run from Justin Lebron to seal the run-rule victory
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball topped Middle Tennessee, 12-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The game was finalized after eight innings due to the 10-run rule and improved the Tide to 4-0 on the young season.
Justin Lebron provided two of the biggest swings of the night to account for his 2-for-5 effort at the plate. The Tide shortstop was responsible for a two-run single in the fourth and a solo home run in the eighth while also leading all players with three RBI on the day. Will Hodo had his most productive performance of the season, finishing with a game-high three hits, including a solo home run and an RBI-double. Kade Snell and Coleman Mizell both finished with two RBI apiece, while Bryce Fowler, Brennen Norton and Jason Torres chipped in with an RBI apiece.
JT Blackwood (1-0) made his first start as a member of the Tide, earning the win thanks to 4.0 innings of one-run baseball with three hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Tyler Fay was the next out of the bullpen, tossing 2.0 hitless frames. Coulson Buchanan and Aidan Moza did not allow a run in their lone innings of work, with Moza striking out the side in the eighth.
From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"The key to winning anything is getting a good start, and JT Blackwood gave us that. He minimized damage and worked around some things. He had good stuff tonight and really set the tone for us early. Offensively, I thought we were unbelievable at setting some stuff up, which we maybe tried a bit too much early, but we let the game come to us late and took some really good swings. It was a really proficient night offensively. Now, we turn our attention to Alabama State tomorrow."
How It Happened
- B1 | Bryce Fowler opened the inning with a double before Justin Lebron was hit by a pitch and Coleman Mizell singled to load the bases. Jason Torres then drew a four-pitch walk to push a run across. (1-0, Alabama)
- B3 I Will Hodo and Brennen Norton led off the inning with singles, placing runners at the corners. Kade Snell followed with a fielder's choice to score Hodo. A pair of walks loaded the bases for Fowler, who drew a four-pitch walk of his own to force in a run. Mizell then capitalized on his opportunity, doubling down the line in left to add two more. (5-0, Alabama)
- T4 I Three of the first four Blue Raiders reached base in the inning with an RBI-single plating Middle Tennessee's first run. (5-1, Alabama)
- B4 I Hodo led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run to right field. Walks by Snell and Fowler, along with Brady Neal's base-hit, loaded the bases for Lebron with two outs. In a full count, Lebron singled up the middle to score two runs. (8-1, Alabama)
- T7 I Middle Tennessee led off the inning with a single and a double, placing two in scoring position before a groundout plated one. (8-2, Alabama)
- B7 I After Mizell and Torres reached base, Hodo lined a double down the line in right to bring home his second RBI. One batter later, Norton singled through the left side to score Torres. With Hodo now at third base, Snell lifted a deep sacrifice fly to right field to punctuate the three-run seventh. (11-2, Alabama)
- B8 I Lebron slugged the game-ending home run to left field. (12-2, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- The win over the Blue Raiders served as the 2,800th win in Alabama baseball history.
- With 12 runs on Tuesday, Alabama has scored 10-plus runs all four games this season.
- Alabama has managed 10-plus runs in four consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 21-25 of last season.
- Through four games, the Tide is averaging 13.0 runs per contest.
- Alabama drew 10 walks against Middle Tennessee, bringing its season average to 8.0 walks per contest.
- Bryce Fowler, Justin Lebron, and Jason Torres have recorded at least one hit in all four games to start the 2025 campaign.
- Lebron has produced home runs in consecutive games for the second time in his career, doing so for the first time since April 26-27, 2024, at Ole Miss.
- Factoring in his three RBI on Tuesday, Lebron has three multi-RBI games in his first four games of 2025.
- ATTENDANCE: 3,180
The Tide will get back to work tomorrow when Alabama hosts Alabama State on Wednesday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The matchup with the Hornets is slated for a 4 p.m. CT start on SEC Network+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Blackwood, JT (1-0)
L: Will Jenkins (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Tyler Minnick 1 ; Kenny McKinley 1
RBI: Eston Snider 1 ; Hayden Miller 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tyler Minnick 1 ; Matt Wolfe 1
HBP: Keaton Ray 1 ; Matt Wolfe 1
Batting:
2B: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Mizell, Coleman 1 ; Hodo, Will 1 ; Bonomolo Jr., Richie 1
HR: Lebron, Justin 1 ; Hodo, Will 1
RBI: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 3 ; Mizell, Coleman 2 ; Torres, Jason 1 ; Hodo, Will 2 ; Norton, Brennen 1 ; Snell, Kade 2
SF: Snell, Kade 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 1 ; Mizell, Coleman 1 ; Torres, Jason 1 ; Hodo, Will 3 ; Snell, Kade 2 ; Neal, Brady 2 ; Bonomolo Jr., Richie 1
HBP: Lebron, Justin 1
