Alabama baseball drops NCAA regional opener to Central Florida
Alabama’s clutch hitting at the plate wasn’t enough to overcome its struggles on the mound, as the Crimson Tide opened up play in the Tallahassee Regional with an 8-7 loss to Central Florida on Friday night.
Alabama scored all seven of its runs with two outs and led on two separate occasions. But the Tide’s pitchers weren’t able to back up their bats, quickly coughing up any bit of momentum it gained throughout the game.
Alabama (33-23) will now face Stetson (40-21) in an elimination game at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday. Stetson suffered a 7-2 loss to host Florida State (43-15) earlier Friday. Central Florida (36-19) will now play the Seminoles in the winners' bracket.
After allowing Alabama to tie the game in both the seventh and eighth innings, Central Florida finally took the lead for good in the top of the ninth with a two-out hit of its own.
Alabama closer Alton Davis began the inning by walking UCF’s Jack Zystra. After a sacrifice bunt moved Zystra to second, Davis came close to getting out of the jam when he got Braden Calise to fly out to right. However, pinch hitter Andrew Sundean delivered what went on to become the death blow for Alabama with a single to left.
Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron did everything he could to will the Tide to a win at the plate. Making his NCAA tournament debut, the freshman went 4-for-5 with a home run and a pair of runs batted in.
Lebron’s home run came with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 4. He then delivered a two-out RBI single in the seventh to tie the game at 6. Both times Alabama was unable to take advantage, giving up the lead in the top half of the following inning.
Alabama right fielder Kade Snell blasted a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the first, and center fielder T.J. McCants hit a solo shot with two outs in the bottom of the fourth to give the Tide its other runs on the night.
After fanning the first two batters he faced, Alabama starting pitcher Greg Farone experienced some early turbulence on the mound. The typically accurate left-hander walked his next two batters before giving up a two-run double to Zyska. Farone entered the game with just 21 walks over 67⅔ innings pitched.
After Snell’s three-run shot gave Alabama the lead in the bottom of the first, Farone handed the advantage right back to UCF the following inning, giving up a leadoff single before surrendering a two-run home run to Andrew Williamson.
With Alabama up 5-4 in the top of the fifth, Farone once again coughed up the lead, issuing a leadoff walk before surrendering a game-tying double to UCF’s Matt Cedarburg. The Golden Knights took the lead two batters later as Alabama reliever Matthew Heiberger gave up an RBI double to Zyska.
Farone ended the evening with six earned runs on six hits over four innings. The home run he allowed in the second inning was the eighth he has surrendered in his last five starts. The lefty is 0-2 with a 10.4 earned-run average over that span.
Davis took the loss for Alabama, giving up an earned run on a hit and a walk over 1⅔ innings pitched.
Alabama's pitchers issued a combined seven walks on the night. Four of those led to runs for Central Florida.