Alabama Baseball Scores Five Unanswered Runs, Walks Off LSU

The Alabama baseball team takes the series opener against the Tigers.

Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team (31-18, 11-14) won its series opener against the LSU Tigers (32-19, 9-16) in walk-off fashion 8-7 on Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. 

In the top of the first inning, the Tigers struck first on a solo home run by Jared Jones. The Crimson Tide answered in the bottom of the second when William Hamiter, who started his fourth consecutive game in right field in place of Evan Sleight, hit an RBI triple. 

The Tigers looked to have scored the go-ahead run in the third on an RBI double by Jones, scoring Tommy White from second, however the umpires reviewed the play and saw that White did not touch the third base bag during the play, therefore removed the run and called him out. 

LSU went back in front in the fourth, scoring two runs on two RBI singles by Steven Milam and Paxton Kling. Then, in the home half of the inning, Alabama tied things up on a sacrifice fly by TJ McCants and an RBI single by Hamiter. 

However, the Tigers regained the lead in the fifth on a solo home run by Tommy White and earned some run support on a Hayden Travinski sacrifice fly. LSU tacked on two additional runs in the eighth on a solo home run by Milam and an RBI double by White. 

Alabama left-handed pitcher Greg Farone (4-2, 4.22 ERA) started on the mound. In his 13th start of the year, the senior allowed seven hits, five runs (all earned), walked one batter, and struck out one in 4.1 innings of work. Austin Morris, Tyler Fay and Coulson Buchanan made appearances out of the bullpen. 

The Crimson Tide refused to go down without a fight and scored five unanswered runs to seal the victory. The first three came in the eighth on a two-run home run by McCants and an RBI single by Gage Miller. The game tying and game winning run scored in the ninth on a throwing error by LSU’s catcher Alex Milazzo. 

“Cutting the lead in half that late in the game is huge cause you give your pitchers a little more confidence on the mound and I just told them ‘Some bull innings,’ so it was really nice and really good to see the fans back in it,” said McCants.

For LSU, left-handed pitcher Gage Jump (3.86 ERA) started his 12th game of the year. In his 5.2 innings pitched, the sophomore allowed seven hits, three runs (all earned), walked one batter, and struck out seven. Christian Little and Griffin Herring made appearances out of the bullpen. 

“We were just able to outlast them,” said Alabama baseball head coach Rob Vaughn. “We had two outs with nobody on in the last inning, get two walks and a hit by pitch, and brings up the dude to my right [Hamiter]. It’s gonna sound corny but it’s what makes college baseball such a beautiful thing. This guy is a Tuscaloosa kid, was deciding whether he was going to come back for another year not. He graduated, [he] was starting his MBA. All fall I saw him for about five minutes a day at practice, he'd come running in in his polo and go do a couple knees and try and go hit. He hasn't played a ton this year, then obviously we had the sickness and he gets an opportunity and man has he taken advantage of it."

How it Happened:

Bottom 9:

• William Hamiter reaches first base on an error and two runs score. Alabama 8, LSU 7.

• Mac Guscette gets hit by a pitch to load up the bases.

• TJ McCants draws a walk, Snell advances to second.

• Kade Snell draws a two-out walk.

• Will Hodo strikes out looking.

• Justin Lebron strikes out swinging.

Top 9:

• Michael Braswell III hits into a double play to end the top half of the inning.

• Ashton Larson flies out.

• Alabama makes a pitching change. Coulson Buchanan comes into the game in relief of Tyler Fay.

• LSU's Hayden Travinski draws a leadoff walk.

Bottom 8:

• Ian Petrutz flies out to end the inning. LSU 7, Alabama 6.

• Gage Miller hits an RBI single. LSU 7, Alabama 6.

• Bryce Eblin strikes out swinging.

• Guscette advances to second on a wild pitch.

• William Hamiter strikes out looking.

• LSU makes a pitching change. Christian Herring comes into the game in relief of Christian Little.

• Mac Guscette draws a walk.

• TJ McCants hits a two-run home run. LSU 7, Alabama 5.

• Kade Snell hits a leadoff single.

Top 8:

• Jared Jones flies out to end the top half of the inning. LSU 7, Alabama 3.

• Tommy White hits an RBI double. LSU 7, Alabama 3.

• Alabama makes a pitching change. Tyler Fay comes into the game in relief of Austin Morris.

• Alex Milazzo hits a sacrifice ground out, Kling advances to second.

• Paxton Kling gets hit by a pitch.

• LSU's Steven Milam hits a solo home run to left field. LSU 6, Alabama 3.

Bottom 7:

• Will Hodo flies out to the right field warning track. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• Justin Lebron draws a walk, Petrutz advances to second.

• Ian Petrutz hits a two-out single.

• Gage Miller grounds out.

• Bryce Eblin strikes out swinging.

Top 7:

• Michael Braswell III strikes out looking to end the top half of the inning. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• Ashton Larson grounds out.

• LSU's Hayden Travinski grounds out.

Bottom 6:

• William Hamiter grounds out to end the inning. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• LSU makes a pitching change. Chrisitian Little comes into the game in relief of Gage Jump.

• Mac Guscette strikes out looking.

• TJ McCants flies out.

• Kade Snell hits a leadoff double.

Top 6:

• Josh Pearson flies out to end the top half of the inning. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• Jared Jones gets intentionally walked.

• Tommy White hits into a double play, Kling advances to third.

• Alex Milazzo gets hit by a pitch, Kling advances to second.

• LSU Paxton Kling gets hit by a pitch.

Bottom 5:

• Will Hodo strikes out swinging to end the inning. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• Justin Lebron strikes out swinging.

• Ian Petrutz pops up.

• Gage Miller draws a leadoff walk.

Top 5:

• Steven Milam strikes out looking to end the top half of the inning. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• Michael Braswell III hits a single, Larson advances to third.

• Ashton Larson hits a single.

• Hayden Travinski hits a sacrifice fly. LSU 5, Alabama 3.

• Alabama makes a pitching change. Austin Morris comes into the game in relief of Greg Farone.

• Josh Pearson grounds out, Jones advances to third.

• Jared Jones hits a double.

• LSU's Tommy White hits a solo home run. LSU 4, Alabama 3.

Bottom 4:

• Bryce Eblin pops up to end the inning. LSU 3, Alabama 3.

• William Hamiter hits an RBI single. LSU 3, Alabama 3.

• Guscette advances to second on a wild pitch.

• Mac Guscette hits a two-out single.

• TJ McCants hits a sacrifice fly. LSU 3, Alabama 2.

• Kade Snell hits a sacrifice ground out, Hodo advances to third.

• Will Hodo hits a leadoff double.

Top 4:

• Alex Miazoo flies out to end the top half of the inning. LSU 3, Alabama 1.

• Paxton Kling hits an RBI single. LSU 3, Alabama 1.

• Steven Milam hits an RBI single. LSU 2, Alabama 1.

• Michael Braswell III signles, Larson advances to second.

• Ashton Larson gets hit by a pitch.

• Hayden Travinski strikes out swinging.

• LSU's Josh Pearson lines out for the first out of the inning.

Bottom 3:

• Justin Lebron strikes out looking to end the inning. LSU 1, Alabama 1.

• Ian Petrutz strikes out swinging.

• Gage Miller grounds out.

Top 3:

• Jared Jones hits an RBI double, however Tommy White did not touch the third base bag. The play was reviews and White was called out to end the top half of the inning. LSU 1, Alabama 1.

• Tommy White draws a walk.

• Alex Milazzo grounds out.

• LSU's Paxton Kling flies out for the first out of the inning.

Bottom 2:

• Bryce Eblin grounds out to end the inning. LSU 1, Alabama 1.

• William Hamiter hits an RBI triple to the center field warning track. LSU 1, Alabama 1.

• McCants steals second.

• Mac Guscette strikes out.

• TJ McCants hits a one-out single.

• Kade Snell grounds out.

Top 2:

• Steven Milam fouls out to end the top half of the inning. LSU 1, Alabama 0.

• Michael Braswell III pops up.

• LSU's Ashton Larson flies out for the first out of the inning.

Bottom 1:

• Will Hodo strikes out to end the inning. LSU 1, Alabama 0.

• Justin Lebron reaches on a fielder's choice, Petrutz is thrown out at second base.

• Ian Petrutz hits a single.

• Gage Miller pops up.

Top 1:

• Hayden Travinski grounds out to end the top half of the inning. LSU 1, Alabama 0.

• Josh Pearson flies out.

• Jared Jones hits a solo home run to left-center field. LSU 1, Alabama 0.

• LSU's Tommy White grounds out for the first out of the evening.

Pregame: 

• First pitch is set for 6:02 p.m. CT. 

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How to Watch: 

Who: Alabama Crimson Tide (30-18, 10-14) and LSU Tigers (32-18, 9-15).

When:
Friday, May 10 at 6 p.m. CT.
Saturday, May 11 at 4 p.m. CT.
Sunday, May 12 at 1 p.m. CT. 

Where: Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 

TV: SEC Network+.

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network on Tide 100.9 FM. Roger Hoover will be on the call.