The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team continued their hot start with a convincing 15-1 victory over Alabama State on Wednesday. The game was shortened to seven innings by a predetermined run rule. Bama improved to 5-0 on the season, and ASU fell to 1-4.
Junior College transfer Zach Kittrell drew the starting assignment on the mound for the Tide. Before the game it was reveled that infielder Garrett Staton will need surgery on his hand after being hit by a pitch in Tuesday nights game. Staton could miss anywhere from 3-8 weeks by preliminary reports.
Kittrell had a perfect first inning on seven pitches on the cold, dreary day at The Joe. The Tide took the lead in the bottom of the 1st on an RBI double by the red hot Coleman Mizell. Mizell’s rip scored Bryce Fowler, who had walked to lead off the inning. Kittrell retired the Hornets with a ground out and two straight strikeouts looking to end his night after 22 pitches. Bama added two more in the bottom of the second. Kade Snell walked, Will Plattner singled, but was erased at second on a grand ball by Richie Bonomolo. The speedy Bonomolo then stole second and he and Snell scored in front of a double by Fowler.
Austin Morris took his turn on the mound in the 3rd and retired the side on three straight fly balls. Bama added five more runs in the bottom half. Brennen Norton and Snell had back to back one out singles, Plattner and Bonomolo walked, with the latter gaining an RBI on his bases loaded free pass. Fowler then crushed a grand slam home run to centerfield to blow the game wide open. After the dust cleared and the inning ended, the Tide was up 8-0.
Morris was back out in the 4th and after a one out walk a double play, started by Justin LeBron in the hole at shortstop on a great play, and a beautiful turn by Norton at second base ended the inning, and Morris’s night. Bama added two in the bottom half. Will Hodo singled and moved up on a walk to Norton. Snell grounded out to second allowing both runners to advance. Bonomolo singled both in to make the score 10-0.
Beau Bryans was on the mound in the 5th inning, allowed a double and walked two before striking out two batters to keep the Hornets scoreless. The double by Kameron Douglass was ASU’s first hit of the game. The Tide scored twice more in the bottom half. Jason Torres blasted a double and scored on a one out single by Norton. With two outs Plattner walked and he and Norton scored on a ringing double by Bonomolo.
Freshman Anthony Pesci took over in the 6th inning on the mound. After hitting the first batter, Pesci was the beneficiary of another Sports Center double play started by LeBron. The sophomore super star short stop ranged behind the 2nd base bag, dove, made the stop, and flipped with his glove to Norton, who made another great turn to complete the twin killing. Pesci then struck out the next batter looking and finished his one inning outing with only 12 pitches.
In the bottom of the 6th Bama scored twice more. Freshman Peyton Steele hit a pinch hit, opposite field double off the right field wall. Torres was hit by a pitch and then both runners advanced on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Hodo plated Steele and Snell singled in Torres, pushing the score to 15-0.
Freshman Jack Ketchum got his first action of his Alabama career by pitching the top of the 7th, striking out three, but allowing the Hornets only run on a walk and two singles.
The Tide hit 15-33 in the game with five doubles and a home run, while walking eight times, striking out eight times, and leaving 11 men on base. Fowler led the way with his 2-4, one walk, six RBI game, with a grand slam home run. Bonomolo drove in four runs of his own with a 2-3 game with a double, walk, a stolen base, and four runs driven in. Norton was 2-3 with a walk, three runs scored, and one driven in. Snell drove in a run, scored two, drew a walk, and hit 2-4 in the game. In the second start of his Alabama career, Plattner finished 2-3 with two walks, two runs, and one run driven in. LeBron, Torres, and Mizell all kept their hitting streaks alive with doubles. Kittrell was awarded the win and is 1-0 on the year. The team played errorless ball for the first game of the season and the two double plays were highlights. The second of the two has already shown up on SVP during his ESPN show.
The five Alabama pitchers held Alabama State to 3-22 at the plate with one walk, one hit batter, nine strikeouts, and five men left on base. Douglas had two of the teams five hits to lead the way. Starting pitcher Trey Power suffered the loss after giving up eight earned runs in 2.2 innings pitched.
The Tide continues to score at a high rate with 67 runs in five games on 68 hits with 13 doubles, one triple, and nine home runs. The teams batting average is .398. The 21 pitchers that have seen action have a 2.63 ERA in 41 innings pitched with 45 strikeouts against 18 walks and are allowing a batting average against of .195. Staton injury will cause the team to alter their playing rotation.The Samford transfer has played third and second base for the team. Torres, who has played first and third base will now be almost exclusively for the time being. Norton will play more regularly with the possibility of freshman Jon Young Jr. fitting into the mix.
The team will leave for Jacksonville, Florida on Thursday for three games over the weekend at the Jacksonville Classic. The first opponent will be Coastal Carolina at 5 p.m CT, followed a 3 p.m. CT matchup with 12th ranked NC State on Saturday, and a 10 am CT contest with Ohio State on Sunday. The competition in the Classic will be by far the toughest test for the Tide on the young season.
Roll Tide
Bama Baseball Fever, Catch it!
