Survive And Advance: Tide Takes Down Missouri 4-1

The Alabama Crimson Tide won their first game of the SEC Tournament over the Missouri Tigers by a score of 4-1 on Tuesday morning. The game kicked off the 2025 SEC Tournament at 9:30 a.m. The Tide used a career best start on the mound from Tyler Fay and just enough offense to advance. Bama will play Tennessee on Wednesday morning in a game scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Redshirt sophomore Fay got the start for the Tide on the mound and had the best game of his Alabama career. The Tigers countered with Sam Horn, their ace that has missed most of the season with an injury.

Fay allowed a lead off single to Jackson Lovich to open the first, but responded with two strikeouts and a fly out to keep the Tigers off the board. Alabama had a chance to score in the bottom half when Justin LeBron and Richie Bonomolo both walked, but could not push a run across. Fay kept Missouri scoreless through the 2nd and 3rd innings, allowing only a single hit. Bama had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the 3rd, but again stranded runners. Bryce Fowler led off with a single but was caught stealing with LeBron at the plate. LeBron walked and moved up on a ground out by Kade Snell. Bonomolo and Will Hodo followed with walks but the bases were left loaded when Jason Torres struck out.

The Tigers took advantage of the only mistake Fay made all game when Mateo Serna lined his 9th home run of the season with one out in the top of the 4th inning. Fay bounced back with two quick outs to leave the frame with a 1-0 deficit.

Will Liebbert replaced Horn to begin the bottom of the fourth. The Tide used a two out rally to take the lead. Brennen Norton dropped a two out single into right field and moved to second when Fowler walked. LeBron laced a single to left to plate Norton and Fowler raced home on an RBI single by Snell. Bonomolo grounded into a force play to end the inning.

Fay allowed a lead off single in the top of the 5th but retired the next three men in order. Bama went down quickly in the bottom half, bringing Fay out to try and reach his career high in innings pitched. After two quick outs in the top of the 6th Fay walked Serna and allowed a single to Tyler Macon before getting Keegan Knutson to hit a weak ground ball back to the mound for an easy out at first base. Fay finished his day with 6 innings pitched, allowing five hits and one run while walking only one and striking out six.

Libbert worked a perfect bottom of the 5th and 6th innings. Matthew Heiberger replaced Fay for the Tide in the top of the 7th, allowing a single to Peer to lead off the frame. A perfect pick off move by Heiberger got Peer leaning as he was tagged out on a throw from Hodo to LeBron. Heigberger struck out Chris Patterson for the second out, but plunked ninth place hitter Brooks Daniels with a pitch on an 0-2 count. Lead off man Lovich singled to move Daniels to third, bringing Braylon Myers out of the bullpen to face Pierre Seals. Myers struck out Seals looking on a 3-2 pitch to end the rally with the Tide still in front 2-1.

Bama finally broke through for an insurance run in the bottom of the 7th. LeBron walked for the third time and was forced out at second on a ground ball by Snell. Bonomolo looped a single into right to move Snell to second, and a wild pitch by Libbert put both runners in scoring position. Hodo blasted a ball to deep left field that was hauled in short of the wall, but worked as a sacrifice fly to score Snell.

Staked to a 3-1 lead Myers was back for the top of the 8th inning. Myers alternated outs with base runners to escape with the lead intact. After a strikeout looking Myers hit the next batter. A fly ball to left field was the second out, before Knutson singled. Another fly ball to Snell in left field ended the inning.

Brady Neal launched his third home run of the season to centerfield leading off the bottom of the 8th inning. Norton singled with one out but a double play ball off the bat of Fowler ended the inning with the Tide in the lead 4-1.

The 9th inning is Carson Ozmer time, and the 1st Team All-SEC selection locked things down for his 17th save of the season. However there was excitement involved. Patterson struck out looking to lead off, but Daniels singled and Lovich was hit by a pitch to put the tying run at the plate. Seals hit a ground ball to first base that Hodo fielded and tried to snare the runner going to second. The throw hit the runner in the back and the bases were loaded with only one out. Hodo redeemed himself with Cayden Nicolette at the plate.Nicoletto struck a line drive that looked to be heading into right field. Hodo laid out and snared the drive for the second out. A fly ball to left field by Serna was grabbed by Snell to secure the victory by the 4-1 score.

The Tide hit 8-29 in the game with seven walks, four strikeouts, and left nine men on base, had one home run and one sacrifice fly. LeBron was 1-1 with three walks and his 70th RBI of the season. Norton was 2-4 with a run scored and Neal was 2-4 with a home run, run, and RBI. Snell and Hodo both drove in one run each. Fay was the winner and improved to 1-2 on the year and Ozmer extended his school record save mark with his 17th of the season.

A must win for the Tide to improve to 41-15 on the year. Also the 17th win against SEC foes, while still maintaining a top 10 RPI. Some pundits feel Bama needs to do a little more, and/or get some help to have a strong case to be a Regional Host. In my opinion the resume speaks for itself and rarely, if ever, has a 40+ Power Five (4) team with a top ten RPI not been selected as a host. Alabama could definitely enhance their chances by beating Tennessee on Wednesday.

Post Game Notes:

*Alabama has won four of their last five SEC Tournament openers.

*Justin LeBron broke the Alabama school recored for RBI by a shortstop with his 70th of the year, moving past his tie with Josh Rutledge from the 2010 season. The three walks the shortstop drew tied a career high. LeBron has a six game hitting streak during which he is 9-21, with two doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, five walks, and seven runs scored.

*Bryce Fowler has reached base in nine straight games

Game time is at 9:30 a.m. CT on Wednesday morning and can be seen on the SEC Network.

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