Alabama
37-18, 0
Ole Miss
36-20, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Alabama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 6 | 11 | 0 |
No. 18 Baseball Closes Regular Season with 6-2 Win over No. 15 Ole Miss
5/16/2026 7:21:00 PM | Baseball
Myles Upchurch logged a career-high 7.0 innings on Saturday, earning his eighth win
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 18 Alabama baseball (37-18, 18-12 SEC) was propelled by a phenomenal outing from Myles Upchurch, as the Crimson Tide secured the series win over No. 15 Ole Miss (36-20, 15-15 SEC) following a 6-2 win in Saturday's rubber game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. As a result of the victory, Alabama cemented its place as the No. 4 seed in the 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament.
Upchurch (8-3) was nothing short of spectacular in his 14th start of the spring, limiting the Rebels to just two earned runs across a career-best 7.0 innings pitched. The rookie right-hander issued only two walks while striking out six over his 21 outs. Upchurch's only blemishes came in the 3rd, as Ole Miss loaded the bases with nobody out and later scored a pair of runs following an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, though a double play and a strikeout led to Upchurch limiting the damage to just the two runs. After the 3rd, Upchurch eventually retired 12 of the next 15 hitters across 4.0 shutout innings. In relief, Ashton Crowther was nearly perfect, setting down six of the seven batters he faced in 2.0 scoreless frames, adding a strikeout.
Bryce Fowler paced the Alabama lineup, going 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and two runs scored. Justin Lebron was responsible for one of Fowler's two runs, as the Tide shortstop drove in his teammate in the 1st with a ringing double. Lebron would later finish 1-for-5. Jason Torres managed a 2-for-4 afternoon, driving in two runs with an important two-run single in the Tide's three-run 4th. Eric Hines produced a solo home run to encompass his 1-for-4 day, while John Lemm also drove in a run with an RBI base-hit. Luke Vaughn tallied two hits and a run scored in four at-bats, with Peyton Steele adding a single, a walk and a run scored to close his 1-for-4 line.
From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"Just an incredible way to cap off a really cool regular season. You know, we talked about it before the game, you're playing a game on the last day of the year that has significance is a privilege. We told them to just enjoy that moment. Someone asked me last night, 'What does Myles need to do tomorrow?' I said, 'Go be Myles,' and that's what you saw today. This was not him trying to be extra, this was not him trying to feel like he had to do more, it was him being extremely comfortable in his ability, what he can do, and just being elite. I mean, that's a scary lineup, but what an incredible job. Then obviously, Bryce (Fowler), like, when that dude plays the way he played (today), we don't lose. That was an incredible game by him, setting the tone in the first with a really good at bat against (Cade) Townsend, then coming around to score. So, all in all, just an awesome game to finish the regular season. Now we turn our attention. We put ourselves in a position to go make a run in the SEC Championship, so we've to get rested and recovered, and go send it Thursday night in Hoover."
How It Happened
- B1 | After Bryce Fowler singled to open the game, Justin Lebron lined an RBI double into the left-center gap. (1-0, Alabama)
- T3 | Austin Fawley singled to right-center to start the inning and was followed by Owen Paino, who lined a single off the right field wall, allowing Fawley to advance to third. Topher Jones was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Dom Decker then poked a single into left, scoring Fawley and pushing Paino to third. Tristan Bissetta then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field. (2-1, Ole Miss)
- B3 | To open the inning, Bryce Fowler doubled to right field, and Brady Neal walked, putting runners on first and second. John Lemm then shot an RBI single to right-center, allowing Fowler to score. (2-2)
- B4 | Brennan Holt opened the inning with a hit by pitch, followed by Luke Vaughn, who singled through the left side. With runners on first and second, Peyton Steele walked, loading the bases for the Tide. Fowler then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, pushing Holt to the plate. With two outs, Neal was intentionally walked to load the bases for Torres, who singled a rocket to the shortstop, bringing in two more runs for the Tide. (5-2, Alabama)
- B5 | Eric Hines led off the inning with a solo homer to straightaway center. (6-2, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- The Crimson Tide earned the No. 4 overall seed in the upcoming 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament, marking Alabama's highest tournament seeding since also earning the No. 4 seed in 2009
- Alabama finishes its SEC regular season schedule with an 18-12 conference record, reaching 18 SEC wins for the first time since 2009
- The Tide were victors in six of its 10 SEC series in 2026, marking the most series wins in league play since also winning six of 10 league series in 2009
- Bryce Fowler ends the regular season with 44 hits in 30 SEC games, tied for the second-most hits in league play among all conference players
- Fowler will also close his SEC schedule with 13 doubles in 30 league contests, tied with Tennessee's Reese Chapman for the most doubles in conference play
- Fowler recorded his sixth three-hit game and the 20th multi-hit performance of the 2026 season, with both marks leading all Alabama players
- Fowler has now reached base in six straight games
- Justin Lebron stretched his on-base streak to nine consecutive games
- Attendance: 4,315
Up Next
- Alabama will first appear in the 2026 SEC Tournament in the quarterfinal round on Thursday, May 21
- The Crimson Tide's opponent and start time are still to be determined
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Upchurch, Myles (8-3)
L: Cade Townsend (5-3)
Batting:
2B: Topher Jones 1
RBI: Dom Decker 1 ; Tristan Bissetta 1
SF: Tristan Bissetta 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Austin Fawley 1 ; Owen Paino 1
HBP: Topher Jones 1
Batting:
2B: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 1
HR: Hines, Eric 1
RBI: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 1 ; Torres, Jason 2 ; Lemm, John 1 ; Hines, Eric 1
SF: Fowler, Bryce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fowler, Bryce 2 ; Hines, Eric 1 ; Holt, Brennan 1 ; Vaughn, Luke 1 ; Steele, Peyton 1
HBP: Holt, Brennan 1
PO: Steele, Peyton 1
