Alabama Baseball Loses to Kentucky in Extra Innings

The Crimson Tide was able to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but a costly wild pitch allowed the Wildcats to squeeze out a win to open the series.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— It was an emotional and windy game inside Sewell-Thomas Stadium, but Alabama baseball could not pull out the win as the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Tide 4-3 in 12 innings.

Kentucky was able to take an early lead in the top of the first inning as two defensive mishaps allowed two runs to score.

First, a bunt from Jase Felker led to a tight play at first base, but a bad throw by Ben Hess allowed Jackson Gray, who already advanced to third, to score the first run of the game.

Later in the inning, Felker attempted to steal second and was safe, but a wide throw from Mac Guscette resulted in the ball reaching center field and Felker reaching third base. Felker later scored on a groundout from Emilien Pitre to make the score 2-0 Kentucky.

The Wildcats added another run in the top of the fourth after Devin Burkes singled to right center and was pushed to second on a sacrifice from Pitre. Hunter Gilliam then produced his only hit of the game, an RBI single to drive in Kentucky's third run.

Alabama's offense struggled early on, failing to produce a hit in the first four innings. The bats got going in the bottom of the fifth as Drew Williamson and Ed Johnson hit back-to-back singles.

With runners on the corners, Andrew Pinckney, who had been struggling at the plate, hit an RBI single to put Alabama on the board. It was 3-1 Kentucky after five innings.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the ninth. After Jim Jarvis and Caden Rose hit a pair of singles, Will Hodo drove in another run with a single to right field.

With the score 3-2 and Ed Johnson at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Rose to come home and tie the game. Alabama couldn't capitalize any further, so it was time for extra innings.

The 10th and 11th were quiet for both sides, but it was the top of the 12th that decided the game. Kentucky's Grant Smith was hit by a pitch and advanced to third from Gray's single.

Alabama's Braylen Myers threw a pitch in the dirt and Guscette blocked it, but he couldn't find the ball, opening the window for Smith to score what would be the winning run.

With the loss, Alabama fell to 18-5 and 1-3 in SEC play. Game 2 of the series will be played on Friday at 2 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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