The No. 21-ranked Troy Trojans dropped a nail biter to the No. 22-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide by a score of 7-6 at a packed Riddle-Pace Field in Troy on Tuesday.

The two sides slugged it out to a scoreless tie going into the third inning when Alabama managed to score three runs. The Crimson Tide added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to go up 5-0. Troy then began its rally.

In the bottom of the fourth, Troy Scored its first run and then had a big four-run fifth inning to tie things up 5-5. Alabama added another run in the sixth and then another run in the top of the eighth to go up 7-5. In the bottom of the eighth Troy’s Mikey Bello came in to pinch hit and hit an RBI single into center field to drive home Aidan Gilroy to cut the lead to 7-6.

In the bottom of the ninth, facing one out, Will Butcher blasted a shot deep into center field that was snagged and then Troy runner Parker Sessions was tagged out as he tried to get back to first base to earn the third and deciding out for the Tide.

Despite the disappointing ending, Troy Coach Skylar Meade was happy with his team’s effort.

“Heck of a game and a heck of a crowd. That’s multiple times that we’ve been so close to beating ‘Bama,” Meade said. “The baseball Gods don’t reward you when you play the way we did in the first half. We just weren’t attacking the strike zone and weren’t disciplined enough to be rewarded.

“Alabama is an incredibly great team and when healthy, they are some of the best. They earned it. They were rewarded. We’re going to make every game a fight. This isn’t an anomaly. If you’ve watched 50 Troy baseball games, you know that’s what we do.”

Ethan Kavanagh led Troy at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs. Both Butcher and Gilroy hit doubles on the afternoon. Brooks Bryan also tied the single season Troy RBI record with his 81st RBI during the loss.

Connor Burt took the loss on the mound for Troy, giving up one hit and one earned run in one inning. Logan Ross got the start and struck out a pair of batters, while giving up one hit and two earned runs in two and 1/3 innings of work. Jay Dill struck out one and gave up three hits and two earned runs in two and 2/3 innings pitched. Michael Osmond also struck out two and gave up no hits or runs in one and 1/3 innings toeing the rubber.

Bryan wasn’t the only one to set a record against Alabama as Troy Baseball saw its attendance record broken with a crowd of 3,872 in attendance.

For Alabama, William Hamiter went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, two RBIs and three runs. Aidan Moza got the win on the mound, striking out three and giving up three this and two earned runs in three innings pitched.

Troy will look to regroup for the Trojans’ final road conference series of the season, as they travel to Texas State for a three-game series May 10-12.