Alabama Baseball Outlasts Lipscomb Through 13 Innings

The Crimson Tide improves to 14-0 on the season, one shy of the program record for best start to a season

Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Enduring a solid pitching performance by Lipscomb, Alabama baseball outlasted the Bisons 2-1 in 13 innings on Friday night in Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

A bullpen duel between the Crimson Tide and the Bisons left the game tied at 1-1 after nine innings, resulting in extra innings being necessary to decide a victor.

"Just an unbelievable effort," Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said. "You know we've got a really good offense and I don't know if we weren't quite dialed tonight but you know I'll tip my cap to their pitchers.

"Overall just really proud of our kids for their resilience that they showed and just really glad to get a good win over a good team tonight."

With 24 combined strikeouts from the Alabama bullpen, the team set a new program record for most strikeouts in a single game.

The first two-and-a-half innings remained scoreless until the bottom of the third when redshirt-sophomore catcher Sam Praytor singled through the left side, bringing senior center fielder Brett Auerbach in for the first run of the game.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Connor Prielipp started on the mound for Alabama. In six innings pitched, Prielipp allowed just two hits and no runs, and also struck out a career-best 11 batters.

After Prielipp's six innings, he was relieved by sophomore righty Tyler Ras.

Just two batters into Ras' relief and with runners at the corners, Bisons sophomore catcher Chaz Bertolani grounded into a fielder's choice directly to Ras. Ras threw the ball past Praytor at home for an error, causing junior center fielder Maddux Houghton to score the run for Lipscomb.

Ras was then relieved by sophomore right-hander Chase Lee.

After nine innings, the teams were still deadlocked at one apiece, and the game progressed into extra innings.

Lee performed well out of the bullpen for the Crimson Tide, allowing no runs and no hits in five and one-third innings. Lee also struck out eight batters and walked two.

"I was just trying to — Prielipp says it all the time — just miss barrels," Lee said. "I was trying to pound the zone, fill it up, let the defense play and you know we practice it all the time. The bullpen in the offseason is we throw a couple, sit down. Throw some more, sit down. So just training for it, being ready for it, just trying to let the defense play."

In the 12th inning with the game still tied, Bohannon opted to relieve Lee with junior southpaw Brock Guffey.

Alabama's win came in the bottom of the 13th. With bases loaded for freshman designated hitter Owen Diodati, a wild pitch by Bisons freshman utility Gavin Grubbs resulted in Crimson Tide freshman sliding across home plate for the walk-off run.

Guffey (3-0) was credited with the win for Alabama. In one and two-thirds innings pitched, Guffey allowed no runs, one hit and struck out five.

"The pitching on both ends tonight was just outstanding," Bohannon said. "I thought Scott Elgin their starter — Hoover kid, played at one of the best programs in our state — was just, he was fabulous. Obviously Connor Prielipp matched him and just can't say enough about what Chase Lee and Brock Guffey did out of the bullpen.

"That's obviously the story of the game."

For Lipscomb, Grubbs (0-1) was saddled with the loss. Grubbs faced three batters, allowed two hits and the game-winning run.

With the win, the Crimson Tide improved to 14-0, just one game shy of the best start in program history.

The Bisons drop to 8-4 with the loss.

Alabama and Lipscomb resume their series on Saturday (2 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).