The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team blasted six home runs, built a 16-1 lead, and held on to beat the Jacksonville State Gamecocks by a score of 20-11 on Tuesday afternoon. Bama improved to 9-0 on the season and the ‘Cocks fell to 7-2 on the young season. The Tide used a landslide second inning, consisting of 11 hits, five home runs, and 13 runs.
Coach Rob Vaughn sent JUCO transfer JT Blackwood to the mound to face off with Jacksonville States Brady Thomas. Blackwood struck out the first two batters he faced before allowing an infield single to Caleb Johnson. Catcher Brady Neal quickly erased Johnson by throwing him out trying to steal. The Tide jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the first. Justin LeBron was hit by a pitch and Coleman Mizell walked with one out. After the second out, first baseman Will Hodo crushed a three run home run 109 miles an hour off the bat that traveled 455 feet. This was Hodo’s first at bat since his game winning three run homer against Ohio State on Sunday.
The Gamecocks got a solo home run from Carson Hornung to lead off the second inning to cut the lead to 3-1. The fireworks began in the bottom of the second. Kade Snell singled to lead off the frame before Neal hit a 412 foot shot into the right field plaza for his first home run in an Alabama uniform. Richie Bonomolo, Jr beat out an infield single and Bryce Fowler followed with a single, then stole second base. LeBron then launched his third tape measure three run home run in his last five plate appearances. This one traveled 418 feet into the parking lot behind the left field fence at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. With six runs in and no outs recorded JSU made the call to the bullpen for Jaxon Davis. Davis was greeted rudely by Alabama Designated Hitter Coleman Mizell with the teams third home run of the inning.
Continuing the inning Jason Torres doubled and was plated on a single by Hodo for the seventh run of the inning, with still no outs recorded. Brennen Norton was hit by a pitch to put two on. Snell was out on a ground ball with the runners advancing. Neal walked to load the bases and Bonomolo drew a free pass to drive in another run. Fowler then hit his second grand slam home run of the season into the right field plaza making the score 15-1. The super star LeBron then lifted a fly ball down the left field line that stayed fair for his second home run of the inning, and sixth of the year. Mizell then drove a ball to the wall in deep center field that was gathered in. A fly out by Torres finally ended the inning with the Tide hitting a cycle of home runs, two solo shots, a two run blast, a three run round tripper, and a grand slam. Bama had 10 hits, two walks, and a hit batter in the record breaking inning that gave them a 16-1 lead.
Blackwood had a quick third inning with a fly out, a single, and a double play turned by LeBron and Norton. After the huge second inning the Tide’s offense went dormant and the Gamecocks started chipping their way back. Blackwood got into trouble with a walk, hit batter, a single, and a double with one out in the fourth. Zach Kittrell replaced Blackwood and gave up a two run single before retiring the next two batters. JSU scored four and cut the lead to 16-5. The Gamecocks weren’t through. In the top of the fifth a hit batter, infield single, and walk chased Kitrrell in favor of Connor Ball. The Gamecocks center fielder, Ace Williamson, greeted the left hander with a first pitch three run home run to draw the visitors within seven runs at 16-9. Tyler Fay replaced Ball and ended the damage without any further damage.
Meanwhile a trio of JSU relief pitchers were holding the Tide off the board with only a Bonomolo infield single and a pair of walks, and three hit batters, allowed over the next five innings. In the top of the seventh Fay allowed a single and the runner advanced on a thrown away pickoff attempt. A single by Sam Silas scored a run, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. Braylon Myers replaced Fay and hit the first two batters he faced. After a strikeout for out two the Tide seemed to be out of the inning, but a throwing error scored a run and extended the inning. A dribbler in front of the plate ended the inning with the score now 16-11.
Myers had a dominate eighth inning with two strikeouts and a pop out on just 11 pitches. The Tide offense finally woke up again. Neal drew a walk, Bonomolo singled him to third, and Neal scored on a sacrifice fly by Fowler. LeBron drove in his fifth run of the game with a single, and Mizell followed with an RBI single of his own. Torres drove in the fourth run of the inning with a double, and the score was now 20-11. Packy Bradley-Cooney took over on the mound in the ninth and walking the first batter, retired three straight to end the game.
Alabama hit 16-38 in the game, with a double, six home runs, two stolen bases, and a sacrifice fly, while walking seven times and being hit by a pitch seven times. The team stranded nine runners and committed two errors. LeBron led the way with his 3-5, two home run, five RBI, four runs scored game. Fowler drove in five on his 2-5 game with a grand slam, sacrifice fly, and two runs scored. Mizell hit 2-4 with a walk, three runs, a home run, and two RBI. Hodo drove in four with a 2-3 game, with a home run, a walk, two HBP, and scored twice. Bonomolo finished 3-3 with three runs, two walks, and a run driven in. Torres hit 2-6 with a double, RBI, and run scored. Blackwood was awarded the win and improved to 2-0 on the season.
Jacksonville State hit 13-37 with four walks, four hit batters, with eight strikeouts and left seven men on base. Hornung, Williamson, and Silas collected three hits each. Thomas was the losing pitcher and fell to 1-1 after allowing six hits and eight earned runs in one inning. Poor Davis pitched 0.1 inning allowing seven earned runs.
A big mid week win over a pretty good JSU team. The five home runs and 13 RBI in the second inning tied a school record. The two home runs in the second inning also tied a school record for LeBron. In his last two games the sophomore shortstop has four home runs, 11 RBI, and as scored six runs, and his now hitting .412 on the season with six home runs, four doubles, 21 RBI, a .543 on base percentage, and 1.059 slugging percentage.
The Tide will welcome North Dakota State to The Joe this weekend with games Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. Alabama should be sitting at 12-0 after this weekends play.
Roll Tide
Bama Baseball Fever, Catch it!
