Alabama Baseball Cruises Past Jacksonville State in Final Non-Conference Game

If solely they have been all this simple.

After coping with its share of midweek mishaps this yr, Alabama baseball cruised to a 13-6 victory at Jacksonville State on Tuesday night time in its ultimate non-conference sport of the common season. The win completes a sweep for the Crimson Tide because it beat the Gamecocks 6-3 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Feb. 22.

Alabama (27-22) has struggled to place away smaller opponents, dropping 5 midweek video games, together with three straight in March. Tuesday night time’s drubbing of Jacksonville State (21-26) didn’t function any such frustrations.

Andrew Pinckney provided Alabama with an early lead, lining a two-run house run over the left-field wall within the prime of the primary inning. Three innings later, Zane Denton helped the Crimson Tide break issues open, lifting a grand slam over the right-field fence to increase the result in 7-0. 

Tommy Seidel added Alabama’s third house run with a two-run shot to middle within the prime of the eighth. In whole, the Crimson Tide piled up 18 hits, feasting on a Gamecocks pitching workers that rolled out six pitchers on the night time.

Antoine Jean (3-1) returned from an undisclosed harm to get the beginning for Alabama. The junior left-hander earned the win, scattering three hits and a stroll over a scoreless 2⅓ innings earlier than giving option to the bullpen. He threw 28 pitches on the night time.

Brayden Gainey relieved Jean, hanging out 4 whereas permitting only one hit over 2⅔ innings. Landon Inexperienced then struck out a batter over an ideal inning. Alabama allowed Jacksonville State to smash the sturdy pitching efficiency over the ultimate three innings as Hunter Furtado and Baylen Myers gave up three earned runs apiece to shut out the sport. Nevertheless, by that time, Alabama already had the win properly inside its grasp.

The sport’s solely little bit of drama got here through the backside of the primary inning as Jacksonville State appeared poised to reply again to Alabama’s early benefit, placing runners on first and second base with no outs. The rally was rapidly undone as Alabama catcher Will Portera blocked a pitch within the filth earlier than scurrying to his left to choose up the ball and gun down the advancing runner at third base. From there, Jean bought former Crimson Tide outfielder T.J. Reeves to floor right into a double play to get out of the jam.

Following Tuesday’s win, Alabama will journey to Auburn for a three-game collection this weekend. From there, the Crimson Tide will conclude SEC play by internet hosting Arkansas for a three-game collection the next weekend.