The Alabama Crimson Tide improved to 4-0 on the season with a 12-2 walk-off, run rule, win over Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday. The Radiers fell to 1-3 on the young season. The win may be costly for the Tide as infielder Garrett Staton left the game after being hit on the hand by a pitch. No status update has been provided yet.
JUCO transfer right hander JT Blackwood drew the starting assignment from coach Rob Vaughn in the game. Blackwood walked one batter in the first inning but ended the inning with a ground out to shortstop. The Tide took the lead in the bottom of the frame, but missed on a chance to blow it open early. Bryce Fowler led off with a single and Justin LeBron was hit by a pitch. A single by Coleman Mizell loaded the bases. The Mizell hit was trapped by the outfielder as he went to the ground. The umpiring crew took over 10 minutes to sort things out before declaring everyone safe. Jason Torres drove in his 9th run of the season with a walk for the early lead. After a strikeout for out one, Garrett Staton was called out and hurt on a bizarre call. With a full count, Staton appeared to check his swing and was hit on the hand with the ball. With the hand being considered “part of the bat” it seemed this would be ruled a foul ball. After a lengthy review the umpiring crew, who to put it mildly didn’t appear to have a grasp on any aspect of umpiring, called Staton out. Staton was in clear pain and was replaced by Brennen Norton when the Bama defense returned to the field.
Blackwood had uneventful innings in the 2nd and 3rd before the Tide put the game away in the bottom of the third. Will Hodo and Norton had back to back singles to put runner on the corners. Kade Snell drove in a run on a fielders choice where Norton was out at second base. Consecutive walks to Brady Neal, Richie Bonomolo, Jr, and Fowler plated another run. Mizell drove in two more with an opposite field double that landed just fair.
The Raiders finally scored a run off of Blackwood in the 4th on a double and two singles. MSTU also had a runner reach on a hit by pitch, but Blackwood worked out of the bases loaded jam with a strikeout to end the frame. In the bottom of the 4th, Hodo blasted his first home run of the season leading off the inning. Snell walked, Neal singled, and Fowler walked before LeBron drove in two runs with a sharp single to left field.
Tyler Fay took over for Blackwood in the 5th and had two very easy innings on a total of 18 pitches. Only one base runner reached, and that was on a throwing error by Jason Torres at third base. Fay struck out two, walked none, and struck out two while allowing no runs. Tate Robertson opened the 7th on the mound for the Tide and allowed a lead off single. Robertson was then replaced by Coulson Buchanan. We don’t know if the quick hook was injury related or not. Buchanan allowed a double to the first batter he faced, putting runners on second and third. The senior right hander then induced a ground out that scored a run before a strikeout and fly ball ended the inning.
In the bottom of the 7th the Tide put three more on the board. Mizell began the inning by drawing a walk and moved up on a single by Torres. Hodo lined a double over the first base bag to scored one, a Norton single scored another, and a sacrifice fly by Snell scored Hodo to make the score 11-2.
Aiden Moza followed Buchanan to the hill for the 8th inning. The senior right hander walked the first two batters he faced, but bounced back to strike out the next three, while flashing a 93 mile an hour fast ball and some nasty off speed pitches. With the 11-2 score the Tide only needed one run in the bottom half to end the game, and they got it when LeBron blasted his first walk off home run in an Alabama uniform.
The Tide hit 14-35 in the game with 10 walks, one hit batter, nine strikeouts, and left 13 men on base. Bama had four doubles and two home runs in the game. Blackwood was the winner and is 1-0 on the season. Blackwood allowed three hits with one walk and three strikeouts and one run in his four innings of work. Hodo was 3-5 with a home run, double, three runs scored and two RBI. LeBron was 2-5 with a home run, three RBI, and a run. Mizell hit 2-3 with two RBI, a double, a run, and two walks. Neal finished 2-3 with two walks and two runs, and Norton was 2-4 with a run scored after entering the game.
MTSU finished the game 5-30 at the plate with three walks, two hit batters, nine strikeouts, and nine men left on base. Will Jenkins fell to 0-1 with the loss. Tyler Minnick and Kenny McKinley both had doubles for the Blue Radiers.
The Tide did what they were suppose to do, beat a lesser opponent convincingly. Bama has now scored 52 runs in four games and have hit eight home runs. Although the team didn’t steal any bases in the game, they continued their aggressive base running with several runners going first to third on hits to the outfield. There were a couple of fielding miscues, but they didn’t prove to be costly. The main worry of the game will be the status of Staton going forward.
Next up is a Wednesday afternoon game at 4 p.m. at home against Alabama State, weather permitting. The game will be available on the SEC Network Plus and local radio.
Roll Tide
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