Alabama Melts Down On Sunday, Loses Series To Vanderbilt
18th ranked Alabama lost to 15th ranked Vanderbilt two games to one in Nashville this weekend. The Tide dropped to 36-12 overall and 13-11 in the SEC while Vandy improved to 34-14 and 14-10 in league play.
The 18th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide were taken down by the 15th ranked Vanderbilt Commodores in a key SEC series this weekend. The games were played on the carpet of Hawkins Stadium on Vanderbilt’s campus. The Tide fell to 36-12 overall and 13-11 in the SEC while Vandy improved to 34-14 overall and 14-10 in league play. Alabama lost game one 12-2 in eight innings, won 5-2 on Saturday, and blew a big lead and lost 9-7 via a walk off home run on Sunday. The Sunday loss was absolutely gut wrenching as Bama led 7-2 with two outs in the bottom of the 8th inning before disaster ensued.
Game One- Lost 12-2
What started off as a pitching duel, took a big turn in the bottom of the sixth inning. Alabama’s Tyler Fay and Vanderbilt’s JD Thompson were locked in a 0-0 game entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Things turned in a hurry. The Commodores scored three times in the sixth and seventh inning before ending the game early with six runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Thompson retired the Tide in order in the 1st with a ground out, a strikeout, and a fly out. Fay allowed a one out double in the bottom half but ended the frame with a fly ball that centerfielder Richie Bonomolo, Jr made a fantastic play, and a strikeout. Bama was controlled by Thompson in the second with three straight strikeouts. The Tide’s Jason Torres drew a one out walk in the 3rd for the teams first base runner. Fay collected two strikeouts in the bottom of the 2nd and another in the third.
In the top of the 4th Alabama got a one out walk to Kade Snell and their first hit on a two out single by Coleman Mizell, but a fly out by Garrett Staton ended the threat. Fay worked around back to back doubles to keep the Dores off the board in the fourth. Riley Nelson led off with a double and moved to third on a double by Brodie Johnston that right fielder Bryce Fowler just missed hauling in. Braden Holcomb hit a ground ball back to the mound and Fay was able to retire Nelson in a rundown at the plate. Two fly outs followed and the Tide was able to keep the score at 0-0.
Thompson again struck out the side in the top of the fifth, and Fay retired the side in oder in the bottom half of the frame. Bama did get at two out double from Snell in the top of the 6th, but he was stranded after a fly out.
Things unraveled in the bottom of the sixth inning. Vanderbilt speedster RJ Austin beat out an infield single to start the rally. Nelson and Johnston both singled, with the latter’s bringing scoring Austin. Matthew Heiberger replaced Fay at that point and got a ground ball for a force out at second base. Mac Rose then put down a squeeze bunt to score another run, and was also safe at first. After a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Jonathan Vastine singled in the third run of the inning.
Thompson was back out for the 7th, and put the Tide down in order, while recording his 11th strikeout of the game. In the bottom of the 7th the Commodores added three more runs off of Connor Lehman. Ruston Rigdon led off with a triple and scored on a single by Austin. After a ground ball for the first out Johnston blasted a double to score Vandy’s 5th run of the game. Coulson Buchanan was brought in to replace Lehman and gave up an RBI double to Holcomb. Buchanan ended the inning with a strikeout, the 200th of his college baseball career.
With Thompson finally out of the game, the Tide tried to make some noise in the top of the eighth. Miller Green replaced Thompson to begin the inning. Jason Torres led off with single, and moved up on a single by Bryce Fowler. Justin LeBron lined a single up the middle to score Torres and Fowler scored on a passed ball for a 6-2 score. Bonomolo walked with two outs, but a ground ball to first by Mizell ended the rally with two runners left on.
The Dores ended the game in the bottom of the eighth. A single, a walk, and a three run blast off the bat of Austin chased Buchanan from the game. Bama called on left hander Beau Bryans who faced three batters and walked them all. Ariston Veasey was next up and a single, a hit batter, and a bases loaded walk gave Vanderbilt their 12th run to end the game under the 10 run rule, 12-2.
Alabama hit only 5-32 in the game with three walks, 11 strikeouts, and six men left on base. LeBron was 1-4 with an RBI, Fowler, Snell, Mizell, and Torres had the other hits. Fowler and Torres scored the teams only runs. Fay was the loser and is 0-1, but pitched very well in his 4th start of the season, allowing seven hits, with no walks, five strikeouts, and three runs.
Vanderbilt finished 16-38 in the game with five walks-all in the 8th inning-, with a hit batter, eight strikeouts, and 10 men left on base. Austin had his best game of the year with 4-5 with four RBI, his second home run, a double, and three runs scored. Johnston had three hits and Nelson and Vastine had two each. Thompson improved to 4-4 after pitching seven innings of two hit ball with two walks, 11 strikeouts, and no runs allowed.
Fay gave the team what the needed, five scoreless innings, but the Tide had no answer for Thompson. Bama was able to save their more experienced, high leverage arms to try and salvage the series over the next two days.
Game Two -Won 5-2
Alabama sent Riley Quick to the mound to try and tie the series on Saturday, facing off with Cody Bowker of Vanderbilt. In the top of the 1st the Tide got a two out double from Kade Snell but the inning ended when Commodore third baseman Brodie Johnston robbed Richie Bonomolo, Jr of a hit on a fantastic play.
Quick ran into some bad luck in the bottom of the first. Two infield singles and a balk allowed the speedster RJ Austin to score for a 1-0 lead. Bama’s Will Hodo was hit by a pitch leading off the 2nd, followed by two strikeouts and a Jason Torres single, but yet another strikeout ended the inning. Quick struck out the side in the bottom of the second.
Alabama tied the game up in the top of the 3rd inning. Justin LeBron and Snell both walked with one out. LeBron stole third and scored on an fielders choice ground ball by Bonomolo to tie the game. Quick collected three more strikeouts over perfect innings in the 3rd and the fourth.
Bama added three runs in the top of the 5th inning. Coleman Mizell led off the frame with an opposite field home run over the Green Monster in left field, his 6th of the year. With one out LeBron was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a single by Snell. Bonomolo singled to plate LeBron and with two outs Garrett Staton doubled to bring Snell homeward and a 4-1 lead for the Tide.
Quick allowed a two out single in the 5th, the first hit allowed since the first, but a fly out ended the inning. Mizell just missed his second home run of the game in the top of the 6th when he blasted a ball off the top of the left field wall for a double. Quick struck out two and walked one in the bottom half, bringing his strikeout total to a career high nine.
Braden Holcomb drew a lead off walk from Quick in the bottom of the 7th, ending the big right handers day. Braylon Myers replaced Quick and after a passed ball and a single scored the home teams second run, got a ground ball and two strikeouts to end the inning with a 4-2 Alabama lead. The Tide added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Garrett Staton blasted his second double of the game. Brady Neal attempted to bunt Staton over, but was called out when he was hit by the ball as he left the batters box. Torres hit a deep fly ball to center that allowed Staton to advance and eventually score on a wild pitch.
With the score 5-2, Bama called on closer Carson Ozmer in the bottom of the eighth. The grad transfer from Penn needed only 10 pitches to retire the side on a ground out and two pop ups. LeBron drew a one out walk and stole second base in the top of the 9th, but was stranded there. Ozmer struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th to nail down the 5-2 win.
The Tide hit 8-35 in the game with three walks, two hit batters, 13 strikeouts, and left eight men on base. Mizell finished 2-4 with a double, home run, RBI, and run scored. Staton was 2-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Snell was 2-4 with a double and Bonomolo drove in two runs with his 1-5 game. LeBron was 0-2 but had two walks, a hit by pitch, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Quick improved to 7-2 with the win and Ozmer tied the school record for season saves with his 14th of the year. Ozmer sits tied with Ben Short.
Vanderbilt was held to 4-31 at the plate, with two walks, 14 strikeouts, and left four men on base. Bowker was the loser and fell to 2-4 on the year.
Just a dominating performance from the pitching staff. Quick was lights out, Myers has been amazing all year, and Ozmer nailed it down like he has done all season. The offense did enough up and down the order to secure the victory.
Game Three- Heartbreaking 9-7 walk off loss
Sophomore left hander Zane Adams was on the mound for the Tide against Connor Fennell for the Commodores in a game that shaped up as a classic pitching duel. Kade Snell blasted a two out triple for the Tide in the top of the first, but was stranded after a strikeout. Vanderbilt’s Riley Nelson struck a two out home run in the bottom half for 1-0 lead.
Fennell carved up the Tide in the second and third with three more strikeouts. Adams cruised through the 2nd, but ran into a little trouble in the third. After a one out walk, RJ Austin lined a ball right at Adams on the mound. Adams appeared to snare the ball and as he readied to double up the runner off of first, dropped it. After a review the call remained an out at first with a runner advancing to second. Riley Nelson then singled to right to score Rigdon for a 2-0 More lead.
The Tide finally broke through in the top of the fourth. Snell and Richie Bonomolo, Jr walked with one out. After Will Hodo was retired on a long drive to right field for the second out, Garrett Staton cleared the Green Monster in left field for his seventh home run of the season and a 3-2 Bama lead.
Adams only allowed a weak single over the 4th and 5th innings with three strikeouts. The Tide seemingly took control of the game in the top of the 6th inning. Snell walked to lead off the inning and scored in front of Hodo’s 13th home run of the year, a long blast over the right centerfield fence. Bama was not through. Brady Neal singled with two outs and moved to second when Jason Torres was hit by a pitch. Coleman Mizell lined a single to center to score Neal. Bryce Fowler followed with a single of his own to score Torres, but when Mizell elected to try for third base, was thrown out by Austin to end the inning. One of the cardinal rules of baseball is don’t make the first or third out at third base. Nevertheless the Tide led 7-2 heading to the bottom of the 6th inning.
Adams was back out for the 6th, and escaped with no more runs, despite a one out triple by Braden Holcomb. Fowler attempted a diving catch on Holcomb’s hit and when he missed the ball rolled to the wall for a three bagger. Fowler appeared to hurt is leg on the play and was down for several minutes. After a visit from trainer Sean Stryker, Fowler remained in the game. Adams bounced back with a strikeout and a ground ball to shortstop to end the inning, exiting with a comfortable 7-2 lead.
In the top of the 7th Justin LeBron and Snell were both called out on strikes on dubious strike three calls. Bonomolo followed with a walk and Hodo was hit by a pitch, but a third strikeout of Staton stranded both men on base, potential insurance that would be needed later.
Hagan Banks replaced Adams to being the bottom of the 7th inning and had little trouble, allowing only one base runner on an error. The Tide went down in order in the top of the 8th frame and Vandy started their comeback in the bottom half. After two quick outs on pop ups things turned. Holcomb slapped an opposite field home run to cut the lead to 7-3. A walk followed and after a mound visit Banks stayed in the game. Things got hairy when Dore catcher Colin Barczi blasted a home run of his own to make the score 7-5. Matthew Heirberger replaced Banks and struck out Jonathan Vastine on three pitches to end the inning.
Bama had a chance to add to their lead in the top of the 9th. Fowler led off with a double before LeBron popped out to second base. Snell was intentionally walked to bring Bonomolo to the plate. The speedy centerfielder laced a line drive that appeared would be a double down the line, possibly scoring two runs. Instead in turned into another kind of double when Brodie Johnston snagged the drive and turned it into a double play to end the threat.
With a two run lead and Carson Ozmer coming out of the pen, the Tide still could feel confident in holding on. Mike Mancini led off and somehow looped a single into short left field. Ozmer hit Rigdon with the next pitch, setting up a sacrifice situation for Austin. Austin put down a perfect bunt and was out at first, but put both runners in scoring position. A come backer to the mound was the second out at first base, but Rigdon was almost to third base when he realized Mancini had never left the bag. However Bama was left with no one covering second base and Rigdon made it back safely. Johnston then hit the next pitch for a double in the gap to score both and tie the game at seven. With a 1-2 count Holcombe drilled his second home run in the last two innings over the centerfield wall for the walk off home run and the 9-7 win.
Alabama hit 8-33 in the game with five walks, two hit batters, 14 strikeouts, and six men left on base. Fowler has 3-5 with a double and run driven in. Staton was 1-4 with three RBI on his home run. Hodo was 1-3 with two driven in with his home run. Snell was 1-2 with a triple, two runs scored and three walks. Mizell drove in the other run as part of his 1-4 game. Ozmer suffered his first loss of the year and fell to 4-1, allowing four runs on three hits in 2⁄3 of an inning. Overall the Tide hit only 20-97 on the weekend for a .206 average, with 11 walks, four hit batters, three home runs, five doubles, a triple, 38 strikeouts, and 20 runners left on base.
Vanderbilt finished 10-36 with three walks, one hit batter, seven strikeouts, and six men left on base. Holcomb was 3-5 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored. Nelson and Johnston both had two hits and were joined by Barzci with two runs driven in apiece. The Commodores fifth pitcher of the game, Sawyer Hawks, was the winner and moved to 4-0 on the year. Vandy finished the weekend hitting 30-105 for a .286 average with 10 walks, two hit batters, 29 strikeouts, and 20 left on base.
Just a crushing, brutal loss that puts the Tide in a tough position to try and be one of the 16 host teams in the NCAA Tournament.
Who Did What?
*Kade Snell 4-9, two doubles, triple, four walks, two runs
*Coleman Mizell 4-12, double, home run, two RBI, run
*Bryce Fowler 4-14, double, RBI, run
*Garrett Staton 3-11, home run, two doubles, three RBI, two runs
*Everyone else-combined 6-51 with five RBI, six walks, two HBP, eight runs, one home run
*Riley Quick W (7-2) 6+ innings pitched, four hits, two walks, nine strikeouts, two runs allowed
*Zane Adams ND, 6 innings pitched, five hits allowed, two walks, two runs, five strikeouts
The Tide still has seven games left to make a statement for a seed in the NCAA Tournament. A win on Sunday would have made the task easier. The starting pitching was stellar, with the three starters combing to throw 17 innings, allowing 16 hits, four walks, 19 strikeouts and seven runs allowed. The bullpen in game two pitched three inning with no walks, no hits, no runs, and five strikeouts. However in games one and three the pen threw 5.1 innings, allowing 14 hits with six walks, five strikeouts, and 16 runs allowed. The offense did enough in games two and three to win the series, but still left some meat on the bone in a couple of clutch situations.
The rotation of Fay, Quick, and Adams has been on point the last three weekends, and should be a strength going forward. The combination of Heiberger, Banks, Myers, and Ozmer have been very good throughout the season, but needs help from a few other guys being more consistent. LeBron needs to bounce back from his slump and more consistency is need throughout the lineup. Will Plattner getting healthy would be a big boost to the output. This is clearly a team that strikeouts a lot, doesn’t walk much, and relies on the home run ball to score runs.
Next up is a road trip to Troy to take on a ranked Trojan team at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, followed by a visit from the Georgia Bulldogs on the weekend for games on Friday at 6 p.m. Saturday, at 4 p.m., and Sunday at noon. Sunday’s game is on the SEC Network, while the other three can all be seen on SEC Network Plus.
