Alabama
38-19
Alabama State
34-22
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Alabama | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | X | 21 | 15 | 1 |
No. 7 Alabama Baseball Routs Alabama State 21-3 to Open Tuscaloosa Regional
5/29/2026 11:37:00 PM | Baseball
The Crimson Tide's 21 runs were its most in an NCAA Regional contest in program history
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - No. 7 national seed Alabama baseball (38-19) left little doubt in its opening contest of the 2026 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, as the Crimson Tide began its postseason run with a resounding 21-3 win over Alabama State (34-22) at Sewell-Thomas Stadium on Friday night. Alabama's 21 runs were its most runs scored in an NCAA Regional contest in program history, while the 18-run difference also stands as the Tide's largest margin of victory ever in Regional play.
The Crimson Tide lineup produced 15 hits, including seven for extra bases in the victory. Alabama was led by Bryce Fowler, who finished 3-for-4 with a triple, a home run, three RBI, one walk and four runs scored, falling just a double short of the cycle. Brady Neal also managed three hits in five at-bats, adding one double, a home run and two RBI. Justin Lebron led all players with four RBI, highlighted by a three-run home run. Luke Vaughn slugged a two-run home run to go with an RBI single to encompass his 2-for-4 evening, while Eric Hines tallied two RBI as part of a 2-for-4 night. Alabama also took advantage of seven walks, three hit-by-pitches and four Alabama State errors.
Tyler Fay (10-4) gave his side a strong effort on the mound, totaling 5.2 innings while allowing six hits, three earned runs to go with just one walk and eight strikeouts. The Crimson Tide bullpen was nearly perfect, as Evan Steckmesser, Owen Sarna and Tate Robertson combined for 3.1 shutout innings, picking up six combined strikeouts to just one walk.
From Head Coach Rob Vaughn
"A good win tonight, kind of a business-like win. I thought our guys were hooked in from the jump. I challenged them all week to make sure we were focused and hooked in and not looking ahead to what could happen in this Regional. I thought they rung the bell. Tyler Fay set the tone in the first, obviously (Bryce Fowler) leading off the game, he's our heartbeat when he goes like that. Great job by (Bryce) and (Justin Lebron) to get us on the board in the first. Luke Vaughn had an awesome, awesome day at the plate. (Bryce Fowler) and (Luke Vaughn) kind of paced the offensive side and we just kept scoring, which is the biggest piece. (Alabama State) hit the two-run homer, nobody flinched, we just came back and answered. I think that's the biggest piece, those guys kept lengthening it out and allowed us to save the bullpen. I thought the guys out of the 'pen did a great job. Really proud of the guys and now we turn our attention to (USC) Upstate. I got to see a lot of them today, those guys are tough. They absolutely take on the personality of their head coach and it's going to be a dogfight here tomorrow night so we have to rest, recover and be ready to go tomorrow."
How It Happened
- B1 | Bryce Fowler led off the Tide's half of the 1st with a triple off the center field fence, leading to Justin Lebron's sacrifice fly to center one batter later. (1-0, Alabama)
- B2 | Leading off, John Lemm reached on an error at second base to start the inning, though he was erased from the basepaths after Eric Hines bounced into a fielder's choice. Following a pop-up, Luke Vaughn connected on a two-out, two-run home run to left. (3-0, Alabama)
- T3 | With two outs, Breydon Divine drew a walk, with Miguel Oropeza following him with a two-run home run to left-center. (3-2, Alabama)
- B4 | Brennan Holt began the inning with a bunt single towards first, with a throwing error allowing him to take second. Vaughn then singled into center to send Holt to the plate. Vaughn later took second after a wild pitch, leading to Fowler's RBI single to center. With two outs, Brady Neal doubled to right-center, scoring Fowler. Following Neal, Jason Torres drew a walk and Lemm was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. A wild pitch then allowed Neal to score before Eric Hines lined a two-run single up the middle. (9-2, Alabama)
- B5 | Vaughn led off the inning with a walk before taking second on a wild pitch. After Fowler worked a walk of his own, Lebron crushed a three-run homer to left. (12-2, Alabama)
- T6 | Trey Callaway slugged a one-out solo homer for the Hornets. (12-3, Alabama)
- B6 | To start the 6th, Lemm reached base after a walk and Hines was plunked, putting two on with nobody out. Holt then drove in Lemm with a base-hit into right. After Vaughn was hit by a pitch to load the bases, a wild pitch sent Hines to the plate, while Peyton Steele collected an RBI with a groundout to second. After the groundout, Fowler homered to right, a two-run blast. Two batters later, Neal produced a solo homer to right. (18-3, Alabama)
- B7 | Lemm again drew a leadoff walk, with Will Plattner also forcing the free pass. After a fielder's choice placed runners at the corners, Andrew Purdy lifted a sacrifice fly to right. Justin Osterhouse then walked, leading to Evan Taylor's two-run double down the left field line. (21-3, Alabama)
Postgame Notes
- Alabama's 21 runs on Friday were its most in a Regional contest in program history, surpassing the 19 runs scored against Princeton in the NCAA South I Regional in Tuscaloosa in 1996
- The Crimson Tide's 18-run win margin is also its largest margin of victory in a Regional contest, besting the previous 17-run win over Princeton (19-2) in '96
- The Tide's 21 runs were its most in a game this season, besting the previous high of 19 runs against Rhode Island (Feb. 20)
- The win marks head coach Rob Vaughn's first Regional win at Alabama in five postseason contests since 2024
- Tyler Fay now owns 112 strikeouts this season, the fourth-most in a single season in program history, as he chases Dylan Smith (113), Bobby Sprowl (118) and Wade LeBlanc (128)
- Fay is also the first Alabama pitcher to record at least 10 wins in a season since Wade LeBlanc in 2006 (11 wins)
- Bryce Fowler's triple in his first at-bat stands as his first three-bagger in an Alabama uniform
- Fowler has now reached base in eight straight games
- Justin Lebron stretched his on-base streak to 10 consecutive games
- Brennan Holt improved his on-base streak to six games
- Joe Chiarodo and Evan Taylor both collected their first collegiate hits on Friday
- Taylor's two-run double also produced his first paor of collegiate RBI
- Attendance: 4,466
Up Next
- Alabama will take on USC Upstate on Saturday, May 30, in the winner's bracket of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional
- First pitch between the Crimson Tide and Spartans is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, though additional broadcast information is still to be determined
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fay, Tyler (10-4)
L: Jorhan LaBoy (9-6)
Batting:
HR: Miguel Oropeza 1 ; Trey Callaway 1
RBI: Miguel Oropeza 2 ; Trey Callaway 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Breydon Divine 1 ; Miguel Oropeza 1 ; Trey Callaway 1
HBP: Miguel Oropeza 1 ; Cale Clark 1
Batting:
2B: Taylor, Evan 1 ; Neal, Brady 1
3B: Fowler, Bryce 1
HR: Fowler, Bryce 1 ; Lebron, Justin 1 ; Neal, Brady 1 ; Vaughn, Luke 1
RBI: Fowler, Bryce 3 ; Taylor, Evan 2 ; Lebron, Justin 4 ; Neal, Brady 2 ; Hines, Eric 2 ; Holt, Brennan 1 ; Vaughn, Luke 3 ; Purdy, Andrew 1 ; Steele, Peyton 1
SF: Lebron, Justin 1 ; Purdy, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fowler, Bryce 4 ; Lebron, Justin 1 ; Neal, Brady 2 ; Torres, Jason 1 ; Lemm, John 3 ; Hines, Eric 2 ; Holt, Brennan 2 ; Williamson, Jojo 1 ; Vaughn, Luke 4 ; Osterhouse, Justin 1
HBP: Lemm, John 1 ; Hines, Eric 1 ; Vaughn, Luke 1
