After falling out of the top-25 this week, Alabama baseball had its work cut out to find its way back into recognition. Fortunately for the Crimson Tide, it was able to face a tough No. 21 Troy Trojans squad on the road Tuesday night for a perfect opportunity.
Though head coach Rob Vaughn’s squad has had numerous struggles on the road this season, Riddle-Pace Field in Troy gave Alabama a tough matchup as it rolled to a 7-6 victory over the Trojans to gain some momentum for the final stretch of the regular season.
Last time out between both teams, the Crimson Tide was given a run for its money at its own home ballpark in Tuscaloosa. Troy was able to pile on runs in the middle innings before eventually falling apart and suffering a one run loss. Needless to say, Alabama knew that it wasn’t in for an easy ride on the road.
The matchup began rather slowly from both sides as neither team could pick up a hit through the first two innings, and retained a strong pitching battle at the start. However, it wouldn’t last long.
Following a walk and a hit by a pitch, the Crimson Tide had two runners on base with just one out to start the top of the third. Soon after, three consecutive hits by first baseman Will Hodo, designated hitter Kade Snell, and center fielder TJ McCants brought home three runs and put a quick strike on the scoreboard to get the bats going.
After holding the Trojans scoreless in the bottom half of the frame, Alabama continued its offensive onslaught in the fourth, following a solo home run by right fielder Will Hamiter and a fielder’s choice grounder by left fielder Ian Petrutz to bring home another and give the Crimson TIde a 5-0 lead.
However, Troy was certainly not going to go down without a fight at its own field, and that remained true throughout the middle innings. The Trojans were able to respond in the bottom of the fourth after bringing home a run off of a fielder’s choice grounder.
Unfortunately for Alabama, that wasn’t all that it would have to face as Troy’s bats seemed to get even hotter in the fifth inning. After an RBI single, double, and a sacrifice fly from the Trojans in the bottom half of the inning, suddenly the game would be tied up at five runs apiece.
Facing a knotted up game against a Troy team that refused to quit, the Crimson Tide had to respond and were successfully able to in the following innings. After Hamiter’s second solo shot in the sixth inning and Hodo’s bases-loaded walk in the eighth, Alabama was back in control and boasted a two-run lead.
Whenever Vaughn’s squad took the driver’s seat, the Trojans seemed to always have a response for it, and a single run in the bottom of the eighth made it just a little closer, with Alabama holding a 7-6 lead entering the final frame.
The Crimson Tide were not able to capitalize on the narrow lead in the top half of the ninth, and were forced to play some defense to close out the game. On the bump for Alabama was junior Braylon Myers who allowed a single, but McCants made up for it after making a catch in center field and hosing the runner at first base to close out the game.
After wrapping up the non-conference part of the schedule, the Crimson Tide will finally return home to host a three-game series against the LSU Tigers, starting on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. CT.
