A mid-game offensive burst wasn’t enough for Alabama, as the No. 9 seed Crimson Tide fell to No. 8 seed Tennessee 15-10 in the SEC tournament. The loss marks the third straight season in which Alabama failed to advance past the first two rounds of the single-elimination bracket.
Senior right-hander Aeden Finateri lasted just 1.2 innings in his start for Alabama, allowing four hits and two earned runs before being lifted in the second inning. Finateri entered the day with a 3-0 record and a 4.39 ERA across 13 appearances, including four starts, but struggled early in what was his fifth SEC appearance of the year.
Alabama turned to sophomore lefty Matthew Heiberger out of the bullpen, one day after he recorded two outs in relief against Missouri. Heiberger inherited a 2-0 deficit with runners on base in the second.
Alabama got on the board in the fourth after Bryce Fowler led off with a double to right. Justin Lebron followed with a flyout to right field, allowing Fowler to tag up and advance to third. Kade Snell then worked a four-pitch walk to put runners on the corners. Richie Bonomolo Jr. delivered a double into the left-center gap, scoring Fowler and cutting into Tennessee’s lead. However, Bonomolo was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple, before doubling back to second base, and Snell was left stranded at third after William Hodo struck out to end the inning.
After allowing their first run in the top of the fourth, Tennessee responded in the bottom half when Gavin Kilen drove in two more runs with his second RBI of the game, extending the Volunteers’ lead to 4-1. Matthew Heiberger’s outing then came to an end, and Braylon Myers entered the game out of the bullpen. Fischer advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Kilen scored to extend Tennessee’s lead further to 5-1 by the end of the fourth.
To begin the fifth, Brennen Norton singled through the left side, bringing home Jason Torres to cut into Tennessee’s lead. Catcher Brady Neal advanced to second on the play. The RBI marked the end of Marcus Phillips’ outing, as Tennessee turned to Brandon Arvidson with two on and no outs. Arvidson struck out Alabama’s Aidan Mizell before being replaced by AJ Russell.
With two outs in the inning, a critical error by Tennessee allowed Alabama to continue its rally. Kade Snell reached on a throwing error by the second baseman, scoring Norton and Neal while Justin Lebron moved to third and Snell advanced to second. Alabama then took its first lead of the game when Richie Bonomolo Jr. doubled to left center, scoring both Lebron and Snell to make it 6-5 Crimson Tide.
Alabama’s lead didn’t last long. Tennessee quickly responded in the bottom of the fifth as Cannon Peebles delivered a game-tying RBI single to even things at 6-6.
Tennessee regained control in the bottom of the sixth inning, beginning with an RBI single from Dalton Bargo that gave the Volunteers a 7-6 lead and chased Alabama reliever Zane Adams from the game. Hagan Banks took over on the mound, but the damage continued. Reese Chapman drove in two more with a single, ending Banks' outing after just a third of an inning.
JT Blackwood became Alabama’s sixth pitcher of the day, but Tennessee wasn’t done yet. The Volunteers capped off the frame with a five-run inning, mirroring Alabama’s surge in the fifth, and stretched their lead to 11-6.
In the bottom of the eighth, Reese Chapman launched a two-run home run to extend Tennessee’s lead to 13-6. The shot marked the end of JT Blackwood’s outing, as Alabama turned to Austin Morris, its seventh pitcher of the game, out of the bullpen. The Volunteers kept piling on, as Manny Marin followed with a two-run double down the left field line, bringing home Cannon Peebles and Colby Backus to make it 15-6. Alabama went to its eighth pitcher as Beau Bryans entered the game.
Alabama plated four runs in the ninth to fight to the finish. Justin Lebron drove in two with a single to center, Kade Snell added a sac fly, and Richie Bonomolo Jr. capped the rally with an RBI single. But the late push wasn’t enough, as Tennessee held on for a 15-10 win.
Alabama allowed 20 hits in the loss, its most in a single game since the 2017 season under former head coach Greg Goff.
Now, Rob Vaughn and the Crimson Tide will have to wait for the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, airing Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2, to learn whether their season will continue. Alabama remains on the bubble to host a regional.
